Literals in Python

A literal in Python is a syntax that is used to completely express a fixed value of a specific data type. Literals are constants that are self-explanatory and don’t need to be computed or evaluated. They are used to provide variable values or to directly utilize them in expressions. Generally, literals are a notation for representing a fixed value in source code. They can also be defined as raw values or data given in variables or constants. In this article, we will explore the different types of literals in Python, along with examples to demonstrate their usage.

Literals in Python

Types of Literals in Python

Python supports various types of literals, such as numeric literals, string literals, Boolean literals, and more. Let’s explore different types of literals in Python with examples:

1. String literals
2. Character literal
3. Numeric literals
4. Boolean literals
5. Literal Collections
6. Special literals

Python String Literals

A string is literal and can be created by writing a text(a group of Characters ) surrounded by a single(”), double(“), or triple quotes.  We can write multi-line strings or display them in the desired way by using triple quotes. Here geekforgeeks is a string literal that is assigned to a variable(s). Here is an example of a Python string literal.

Python3

# in single quote
s = 'geekforgeeks'

# in double quotes
t = "geekforgeeks"

# multi-line String
m = '''geek
           for
               geeks'''

print(s)
print(t)
print(m)

Output

geekforgeeks
geekforgeeks
geek 
           for 
               geeks

Python Character literal

It is also a type of Python string literal where a single character is surrounded by single or double quotes.

Python3

# character literal in single quote
v = 'n'

# character literal in double quotes
w = "a"

print(v)
print(w)

Output

n
a

Python Numeric literal

They are immutable and there are three types of numeric literal: 

• Integer 
• Float
• Complex

Integer

Both positive and negative numbers including 0. There should not be any fractional part. In this example, We assigned integer literals (0b10100, 50, 0o320, 0x12b) into different variables. Here, ‘a‘ is a binary literal, ‘b’ is a decimal literal, ‘c‘ is an octal literal, and ‘d‘ is a hexadecimal literal. But on using the print function to display a value or to get the output they were converted into decimal.

Python3

# integer literal

# Binary Literals
a = 0b10100

# Decimal Literal
b = 50

# Octal Literal
c = 0o320

# Hexadecimal Literal
d = 0x12b

print(a, b, c, d)

Output

20 50 208 299

Float

These are real numbers having both integer and fractional parts. In this example, 24.8 and 45.0 are floating-point literals because both 24.8 and 45.0 are floating-point numbers. 

Python3

# Float Literal
e = 24.8
f = 45.0

print(e, f)

Output

24.8 45.0

Complex

The numerals will be in the form of a + bj, where ‘a’ is the real part and ‘b‘ is the complex part. Numeric literal [ Complex ]

Python3

z = 7 + 5j

# real part is 0 here.
k = 7j

print(z, k)

Output

(7+5j) 7j

Python Boolean literal

There are only two Boolean literals in Python. They are true and false. In Python, True represents the value as 1, and False represents the value as 0. In this example ‘a‘ is True and ‘b‘ is False because 1 is equal to True.

Python3

a = (1 == True)
b = (1 == False)
c = True + 3
d = False + 7

print("a is", a)
print("b is", b)
print("c:", c)
print("d:", d)

Output

a is True
b is False
c: 4
d: 7

Python literal collections

Python provides four different types of literal collections:

1. List literals
2. Tuple literals
3. Dict literals
4. Set literals

List literal

The list contains items of different data types. The values stored in the List are separated by a comma (,) and enclosed within square brackets([]). We can store different types of data in a List. Lists are mutable.

Python3

number = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
name = ['Amit', 'kabir', 'bhaskar', 2]
print(number)
print(name)

Output

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
['Amit', 'kabir', 'bhaskar', 2]

Tuple literal

A tuple is a collection of different data-type.  It is enclosed by the parentheses ‘()‘ and each element is separated by the comma(,). It is immutable.

Python3

even_number = (2, 4, 6, 8)
odd_number = (1, 3, 5, 7)

print(even_number)
print(odd_number)

Output

(2, 4, 6, 8)
(1, 3, 5, 7)

Dictionary literal

The dictionary stores the data in the key-value pair. It is enclosed by curly braces ‘{}‘ and each pair is separated by the commas(,).  We can store different types of data in a dictionary. Dictionaries are mutable.

Python3

alphabets = {'a': 'apple', 'b': 'ball', 'c': 'cat'}
information = {'name': 'amit', 'age': 20, 'ID': 20}

print(alphabets)
print(information)

Output

{'a': 'apple', 'b': 'ball', 'c': 'cat'}
{'name': 'amit', 'age': 20, 'ID': 20}

Set literal

Set is the collection of the unordered data set. It is enclosed by the {} and each element is separated by the comma(,).

Python3

vowels = {'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u'}
fruits = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

print(vowels)
print(fruits)

Output

{'o', 'e', 'a', 'u', 'i'}
{'apple', 'banana', 'cherry'}

Python Special literal

Python contains one special literal (None). ‘None’ is used to define a null variable. If ‘None’ is compared with anything else other than a ‘None’, it will return false.

Python3

water_remain = None
print(water_remain)

Output

None