Python - Literals

What are Python Literals?

Python literals or constants are the notation for representing a fixed value in source code. In contrast to variables, literals (123, 4.3, "Hello") are static values or you can say constants which do not change throughout the operation of the program or application. For example, in the following assignment statement.

x = 10

Here 10 is a literal as numeric value representing 10, which is directly stored in memory. However,

y = x*2

Here, even if the expression evaluates to 20, it is not literally included in source code. You can also declare an int object with built-in int() function. However, this is also an indirect way of instantiation and not with literal.

x = int(10)

Types of Python Literals

Python provides following literals which will be explained this tutorial:

  • Python - Integer Literal
  • Python - Float Literal
  • Python - Complex Literal
  • Python - String Literal
  • Python - List Literal
  • Python - Tuple Literal
  • Python - Dictionary Literal

Python - Integer Literal

Any representation involving only the digit symbols (0 to 9) creates an object of int type. The object so declared may be referred by a variable using an assignment operator.

Example: Decimal Literal

Take a look at the following example −

x = 10
y = -25
z = 0

Example: Octal Literal

Python allows an integer to be represented as an octal number or a hexadecimal number. A numeric representation with only eight digit symbols (0 to 7) but prefixed by 0o or 0O is an octal number in Python.

x = 0O34

Example: Hexadecimal Literal

Similarly, a series of hexadecimal symbols (0 to 9 and a to f), prefixed by 0x or 0X represents an integer in Hexedecimal form in Python.

x = 0X1C

Example: Demonstrating Octal & Hexadecimal Notations as Integer

However, it may be noted that, even if you use octal or hexadecimal literal notation, Python internally treats them as of int type.

# Using Octal notation
x = 0O34
print ("0O34 in octal is", x, type(x))
# Using Hexadecimal notation
x = 0X1c
print ("0X1c in Hexadecimal is", x, type(x))

When you run this code, it will produce the following output −

0O34 in octal is 28 <class 'int'>
0X1c in Hexadecimal is 28 <class 'int'>

Python - Float Literal

A floating point number consists of an integral part and a fractional part. Conventionally, a decimal point symbol (.) separates these two parts in a literal representation of a float. For example,

Example: Float Literal

x = 25.55
y = 0.05
z = -12.2345

For a floating point number which is too large or too small, where number of digits before or after decimal point is more, a scientific notation is used for a compact literal representation. The symbol E or e followed by positive or negative integer, follows after the integer part.

Example: Float Scientific Notation Literal

For example, a number 1.23E05 is equivalent to 123000.00. Similarly, 1.23e-2 is equivalent to 0.0123

# Using normal floating point notation
x = 1.23
print ("1.23 in normal float literal is", x, type(x))
# Using Scientific notation
x = 1.23E5
print ("1.23E5 in scientific notation is", x, type(x))
x = 1.23E-2
print ("1.23E-2 in scientific notation is", x, type(x))

Here, you will get the following output −

1.23 in normal float literal is 1.23 <class 'float'>
1.23E5 in scientific notation is 123000.0 <class 'float''>
1.23E-2 in scientific notation is 0.0123 <class 'float''>

Python - Complex Literal

A complex number comprises of a real and imaginary component. The imaginary component is any number (integer or floating point) multiplied by square root of "-1"

(√ −1). In literal representation ($\sqrt{−1}$) is representation by "j" or "J". Hence, a literal representation of a complex number takes a form x+yj.

Example: Complex Type Literal

#Using literal notation of complex number
x = 2+3j
print ("2+3j complex literal is", x, type(x))
y = 2.5+4.6j
print ("2.5+4.6j complex literal is", x, type(x))

This code will produce the following output −

2+3j complex literal is (2+3j) <class 'complex'>
2.5+4.6j complex literal is (2+3j) <class 'complex'>

Python - String Literal

A string object is one of the sequence data types in Python. It is an immutable sequence of Unicode code points. Code point is a number corresponding to a character according to Unicode standard. Strings are objects of Python's built-in class 'str'.

String literals are written by enclosing a sequence of characters in single quotes ('hello'), double quotes ("hello") or triple quotes ('''hello''' or """hello""").

Example: String Literal

var1='hello'
print ("'hello' in single quotes is:", var1, type(var1))
var2="hello"
print ('"hello" in double quotes is:', var1, type(var1))
var3='''hello'''
print ("''''hello'''' in triple quotes is:", var1, type(var1))
var4="""hello"""
print ('"""hello""" in triple quotes is:', var1, type(var1))

Here, you will get the following output −

'hello' in single quotes is: hello <class 'str'>
"hello" in double quotes is: hello <class 'str'>
''''hello'''' in triple quotes is: hello <class 'str'>
"""hello""" in triple quotes is: hello <class 'str'>

Example: String Literal With Double Quoted Inside String

If it is required to embed double quotes as a part of string, the string itself should be put in single quotes. On the other hand, if single quoted text is to be embedded, string should be written in double quotes.

var1='Welcome to "Python Tutorial" from TutorialsPoint'
print (var1)
var2="Welcome to 'Python Tutorial' from TutorialsPoint"
print (var2)

It will produce the following output −

Welcome to "Python Tutorial" from TutorialsPoint
Welcome to 'Python Tutorial' from TutorialsPoint

Python - List Literal

List object in Python is a collection of objects of other data type. List is an ordered collection of items not necessarily of same type. Individual object in the collection is accessed by index starting with zero.

Literal representation of a list object is done with one or more items which are separated by comma and enclosed in square brackets [].

Example: List Type Literal

L1=[1,"Ravi",75.50, True]
print (L1, type(L1))

It will produce the following output −

[1, 'Ravi', 75.5, True] <class 'list'>

Python - Tuple Literal

Tuple object in Python is a collection of objects of other data type. Tuple is an ordered collection of items not necessarily of same type. Individual object in the collection is accessed by index starting with zero.

Literal representation of a tuple object is done with one or more items which are separated by comma and enclosed in parentheses ().

Example: Tuple Type Literal

T1=(1,"Ravi",75.50, True)
print (T1, type(T1))

It will produce the following output −

[1, 'Ravi', 75.5, True] <class tuple>

Example: Tuple Type Literal Without Parenthesis

Default delimiter for Python sequence is parentheses, which means a comma separated sequence without parentheses also amounts to declaration of a tuple.

T1=1,"Ravi",75.50, True
print (T1, type(T1))

Here too, you will get the same output −

[1, 'Ravi', 75.5, True] <class tuple>

Python - Dictionary Literal

Like list or tuple, dictionary is also a collection data type. However, it is not a sequence. It is an unordered collection of items, each of which is a key-value pair. Value is bound to key by the ":" symbol. One or more key:value pairs separated by comma are put inside curly brackets to form a dictionary object.

Example: Dictionary Type Literal

capitals={"USA":"New York", "France":"Paris", "Japan":"Tokyo",
"India":"New Delhi"}
numbers={1:"one", 2:"Two", 3:"three",4:"four"}
points={"p1":(10,10), "p2":(20,20)}

print (capitals, type(capitals))
print (numbers, type(numbers))
print (points, type(points))

Key should be an immutable object. Number, string or tuple can be used as key. Key cannot appear more than once in one collection. If a key appears more than once, only the last one will be retained. Values can be of any data type. One value can be assigned to more than one keys. For example,

staff={"Krishna":"Officer", "Rajesh":"Manager", "Ragini":"officer", "Anil":"Clerk", "Kavita":"Manager"}
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