Python Syntax Basics

Python, a high-level, interpreted programming language, is known for its clear syntax and readability, which makes it a great choice for beginners. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the basics of Python syntax with plenty of examples to help you get started.

Understanding Python Syntax

Python syntax refers to the set of rules that defines how a Python program will be written and interpreted (by both the runtime system and by human readers). Python’s syntax is designed to be readable and straightforward, which makes Python a great language for beginners.

Case Sensitivity

In Python, case matters. For example, myVariable and myvariable are two different variables. This is something to keep in mind when naming your variables.

myVariable = 10
myvariable = 20
print(myVariable)  # Outputs: 10
print(myvariable)  # Outputs: 20

Python

Statements and Line Continuation

In Python, each logical line of code is termed a statement. Python interprets each statement line by line, which is why Python is referred to as an interpreted language.

print("Hello, World!")  # This is a simple Python statement

Python

Python supports line continuation, which allows you to spread a statement over multiple lines using the backslash (\).

sum = 1 + 2 + 3 + \
      4 + 5 + 6 + \
      7 + 8 + 9
print(sum)  # Outputs: 45

Python

Comments in Python

Comments in Python start with the hash character (#) and extend to the end of the physical line. Comments are used to explain Python code and are not interpreted by Python.

# This is a comment in Python
print("Hello, World!")  # This prints "Hello, World!"

Python

Indentation

Python uses indentation to define a block of code. Other programming languages often use curly-brackets for this purpose.

if 5 > 2:
    print("Five is greater than two!")  # This is an indented block

Python

Python Variables

In Python, variables are created when you assign a value to it. Python has no command for declaring a variable.

x = 5
y = "Hello, World!"
print(x)  # Outputs: 5
print(y)  # Outputs: Hello, World!

Python

Python Strings

Strings in Python can be created using single quotes or double quotes or even triple quotes for multiline strings.

# Using single quotes
str1 = 'hello'
print(str1)  # Outputs: hello

# Using double quotes
str2 = "world"
print(str2)  # Outputs: world

# Using triple quotes
str3 = '''This is a multiline string. 
And it spans multiple lines'''
print(str3)

Python

Python Data Types

Python supports various data types. These include:

Numeric Types: int, float, complex
Sequence Types: list, tuple, range
Text Type: str
Mapping Type: dict
Set Types: set, frozenset
Boolean Type: bool
Binary Types: bytes, bytearray, memoryview

x = 5  # int
y = 0.5  # float
z = 1j  # complex
print(type(x))  # Outputs: <class 'int'>
print(type(y))  # Outputs: <class 'float'></code>
print(type(z))  # Outputs: <class 'complex'>

Python

Know how to run a python program in different ways.