The objective of this quick tutorial is to teach you about the Python keywords, identifiers and variables. These are the basic building blocks of Python programming. Hence, you must know everything about them.
Python keyword is a unique programming term intended to perform some action. There are as many as 33 such keywords in Python, each serving a different purpose. Together, they build the vocabulary of the Python language.
They represent the syntax and structure of a Python program. Since all of them are reserved, so you can’t use their names for defining variables, classes or functions.
+ Learn – How to Create Random Variables in Python
Follow the below links to learn about Python keywords, identifiers and variables from depth.
- What are the keywords available in Python, how to use them? Explain with examples.
- What are the identifiers in Python, how to define them? Explain with examples.
- What is a variable in Python, how to define a variable? Explain with examples.
Python Keywords.
Keywords are special words which are reserved and have a specific meaning. Python has a set of keywords that cannot be used as variables in programs.
All keywords in Python are case sensitive. So, you must be careful while using them in your code. We’ve just captured here a snapshot of the possible Python keywords.
Python Keywords Display Using Python Shell
It’s a long list to remember all at once. Our purpose of mentioning it here is only to give you an initial idea of the available keywords. However, we’ll cover each of them in the rest of the tutorials. You don’t need to jump onto memorizing them instead try to learn to use them step by step.
One more point that you should be aware is the above list may change. The language could get away with some of the old keywords and bring in new ones in future releases.
Hence, to get hold of the up-to-date list, you can open Python shell and run the following commands as shown in the below snippet.
help> keywords Here is a list of the Python keywords. Enter any keyword to get more help. False def if raise None del import return True elif in try and else is while as except lambda with assert finally nonlocal yield break for not class from or continue global pass help>
Alternatively, you can use Python’s keyword module, import it straight from the shell and run the below commands to view the supported keywords.
>>> import keyword >>> keyword.kwlist ['False', 'None', 'True', 'and', 'as', 'assert', 'break', 'class', 'continue', 'def', 'del', 'elif', 'else', 'except', 'finally', 'for', 'from', 'global', 'if', 'import', 'in', 'is', 'lambda', 'nonlocal', 'not', 'or', 'pass', 'raise', 'return', 'try', 'while', 'with', 'yield'] >>>
Python Identifiers.
Python Identifiers are user-defined names to represent a variable, function, class, module or any other object. If you assign some name to a programmable entity in Python, then it is nothing but technically called an identifier.
Python language lays down a set of rules for programmers to create meaningful identifiers.
Guidelines for Creating Identifiers in Python.
1. To form an identifier, use a sequence of letters either in lowercase (a to z) or uppercase (A to Z). However, you can also mix up digits (0 to 9) or an underscore (_) while writing an identifier.
For example – Names like shapeClass, shape_1, and upload_shape_to_db are all valid identifiers.
2. You can’t use digits to begin an identifier name. It’ll lead to the syntax error.
For example – The name, 0Shape is incorrect, but shape1 is a valid identifier.
3. Also, the Keywords are reserved, so you should not use them as identifiers.
>>> for=1 SyntaxError: invalid syntax >>> True=1 SyntaxError: can't assign to keyword
4. Python Identifiers can also not have special characters [‘.’, ‘!’, ‘@’, ‘#’, ‘$’, ‘%’] in their formation. These symbols are forbidden.
>>> @index=0 SyntaxError: invalid syntax >>> isPython?=True SyntaxError: invalid syntax
5. Python doc says that you can have an identifier with unlimited length. But it is just the half truth.
Using a large name (more than 79 chars) would lead to the violation of a rule set by the PEP-8 standard. It says.
Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.
Testing If an Identifier is Valid.
You can test whether a Python identifier is valid or not by using the keyword.iskeyword() function. It returns “True” if the keyword is correct or “False” otherwise.
Please refer the below snippet.
>>> import keyword
>>> keyword.iskeyword("techbeamers")
False
>>> keyword.iskeyword("try")
True
>>> Another useful method to check if an identifier is valid or not is by calling the str.isidentifier() function. But it is only available in Python 3.0 and onwards.
>>> 'techbeamers'.isidentifier() True >>> '1techbeamers'.isidentifier() False >>> 'techbeamers.com'.isidentifier() False >>> 'techbemaers_com'.isidentifier() True
Best Practices for Identifier Naming.
- Better have class names starting with a capital letter. All other identifiers should begin with a lowercase letter.
- Declare private identifiers by using the (‘_’) underscore as their first letter.
- Don’t use ‘_’ as the leading and trailing character in an identifier. As Python built-in types already use this notation.
- Avoid using names with only one character. Instead, make meaningful names.
- For example – While i = 1 is valid, but writing iter = 1 or index = 1 would make more sense.
- You can use underscore to combine multiple words to form a sensible name.
- For example – count_no_of_letters.
Python Variables.
A variable in Python represents an entity whose value can change as and when required. Conceptually, it is a memory location which holds the actual value. And we can retrieve the value from our code by querying the entity.
But it requires assigning a label to that memory location so that we can reference it. And we call it as a variable in the programming terms.
Following are some of the key facts about Python variables. These will help programmers to use them efficiently.
1. Variables don’t require declaration. However, you must initialize them before use.
For example –
test = 10
2. The above expression will lead to the following actions.
- Creation of an object to represent the value 10.
- If the variable (test) doesn’t exist, then it’ll get created.
- Association of the variable with the object, so that it can refer the value.
The variable ‘test’ is a reference to the value ’10’. Please refer from the illustration shown below.
Example.
__________ _______ | | Reference * * | test |____________________\ * 10 * | | / * * |__________| *_______* Variable Name Object
3. Whenever the expression changes, Python associates a new object (a chunk of memory) to the variable for referencing that value. And the old one goes to the garbage collector.
Example.
>>> test = 10 >>> id(test) 1716585200 >>> test = 11 >>> id(test) 1716585232 >>>
4. Also, for optimization, Python builds a cache and reuses some of the immutable objects, such as small integers and strings.
5. An object is just a region of memory which can hold the following.
- The actual object values.
- A type designator to reflect the object type.
- The reference counter which determines when it’s OK to reclaim the object.
6. It’s the object which has a type, not the variable. However, a variable can hold objects of different types as and when required.
Example.
>>> test = 10
>>> type(test)
<class 'int'>
>>> test = 'techbeamers'
>>> type(test)
<class 'str'>
>>> test = {'Python', 'C', 'C++'}
>>> type(test)
<class 'set'>
>>> Quick Wrap up – Python Keywords, Identifiers & Variables.
After reading this tutorial, you might now have a fair idea of how keywords, identifiers & variables work in Python. We’ve tried to cover all the relevant details about them so that you can learn fast and use them efficiently.
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Best,
TechBeamers.
