If you are new to Python, you may be wondering how to print something in Python. The answer is simple, you can use the print() function. But what if you want to print something in a different format? For example, you want to print a list of numbers, but you want to print each number on a new line. Still, you can use the print() function but you need to use a special syntax to do this. In this, we will learn how to print in python.
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The print() function is used to print the output in the Python console.
print() is probably the first thing that you will use in Python when you start to learn it.
The print() function can either take direct input or it can take a variable.
The input or variable can be a string, a number, a list, a dictionary, a boolean, or even another function.
Here is an example of how to use the print() function.
print("Hello World")Hello World
The print() function by default creates a new line (when you use no other parameter) after the output.
This means the print() function automatically creates a new line after the output, it is same like hitting the Enter key.
print("Hello John") print("How are you?")Hello John How are you?
Note : So if you just want to print a new line, you can use the print() function empty.
print()The output above is a new line.
You can print other data types like numbers, lists, dictionaries, booleans, etc directly using the print() function.
Here is an example that prints all the data types and also shows their output.
# Numbers print(1) # Lists print([1, 2, 3]) # Dictionaries print() # Booleans print(True) # None print(None) # Strings print("Hello, World") # Touple print((1, 2, 3)) # Sets print()You can print multiple values using the print() function by separating them with a comma.
print(1, 2, 3) print("one", "two", "three")1 2 3 one two three
You can also use a variable to print a message or anything in the print function.
Using variables makes code clear and improves readability as well as reusability.
To use a variable in the print function, you can directly use the variable name inside the print function.
Here is an example of how to use a variable in the print function.
# Variable message = "Hello, John" print(message)Hello, John
You can also create expressions with variables in the print function.
message = "Hello, John!" print(message + " How are you?") # The + operator is used to concatenate stringsHello, John! How are you?
In the above example, we have used 2 string outputs in the print function and concatenated them with the + operator. But what if you want to print a number or a list in the same fashion?
Let's see an example of this.
# Number number = 10 # occurs TypeError error print("Number = " + number)
The above code will produce a TypeError error because we are trying to concatenate a string with a number in the print function.
We must use the str() function to convert the number to a string and then can concatenate to used in the print function.
# Number number = 10 # Convert number to string print("Number = " + str(number))Number = 10
In the above example, you have seen that you can't directly display any data type by stitching them together with a + operator. So how will you display or output a row of data with other injected data?
The answer is formatted printing .
Formatted printing is a way to display or output data with other data injected into it. It is done by using the % operator.
Well, it is not the only way to format your data in python. There are many other ways to format your data in python. Here is the list:
Let's see these ways of formatting data in detail.
The % operator is used to format the data in the print function. for example, if you want to print a number with a string, you can use the %d operator within the print function at the place of the number and put the number outside the string literals separated by a % operator.
It uses the different characters to symbolize different data types. Here is the list of the different data types:
Here is an example of how to use the % operator.
# Integer num1 = 10 print("Number = %d" % num2) # Float num2 = 10.5 print("Number = %f" % num2) # String str1 = "John" print("Name = %s" % str1) # Raw data print("Raw data = %r" % str1)Number = 10 Number = 10.5 Name = John Raw data = 'John'
The f-string is a visually very clear way to format the data in the print function. It is also the recommended way to format the data in the print function.
To use the f-string start your string with f and then put the data or variable name of data you want to format inside the string literal. The data or variable name of data you want to format must be inside the <> brackets.
for example, print(f"Number = ")
print(f"We have apples") print(f"I have apples and oranges") # variable day = 100 print(f"Today is the th day of the year") # list list = ["John", "Mary", "Peter"] print(f" is my friend, and the list is .")We have 12 apples I have 7 apples and 3 oranges Today is the 100th day of the year John is my friend, and the list is ['John', 'Mary', 'Peter'].
The format() is a string method in python which formats another data type in a string and returns the formatted string.
Here is an example of how to use the format() method.
print("Number = <>".format(10)) print("Number = ".format(10)) print("Number = ".format(10, 20)) # This will print the second argument print("Number = and ".format(10, 20))Number = 10 Number = 10 Number = 20 Number = 20 and 10
The print() function has a default separator which is space . But you can change the separator by using the sep argument.
Here is an example.
# Default separator (space) print(8, 11, 2000) # Change separator print(8, 11, 2000, sep="-") # Another different separator print(8, 11, 2000, sep="/")8 11 2000 8-11-2000 8/11/2000
We have seen above that print() function creates a new line by default. This is because the print() function has a default ending which is a newline .
But you can change the ending by using the end argument.
Here is an example of the end argument.
# Default ending (new line) print("Hello, ") print("World!") # Change ending print("Hello, ", end="") # This will not create a new line print("World", end="!") # This will create an ending with !Hello, World! Hello, World!
To read the data of a file in python follow the steps below:
Let the file be data.txt and the data be Hello, World!
# Open the file file = open("data.txt", "r") # Read the data from the file data = file.read() # print the data print(data) # Close the file file.close()Hello, World!
We have seen how to print data and format data in the print function. We have also seen how to use the f-string and format() method.
We have also seen how to use the sep and end arguments in the print function.
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