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How Do You Assign Data Types to Variables in Python?

Published in Programming Languages 2 mins read

You don't explicitly assign data types to variables in Python; the interpreter automatically infers the type based on the value assigned. This is called dynamic typing.

Here's how it works:

  1. Declare a variable: Use a variable name followed by an equal sign (=) and the value you want to assign. For example:

    my_number = 10
    my_string = "Hello"
    my_list = [1, 2, 3]
  2. Python infers the type: Based on the value assigned, Python determines the data type of the variable. In the examples above, my_number is an integer (int), my_string is a string (str), and my_list is a list.

  3. Check the type: You can use the type() function to verify the data type of a variable.

    print(type(my_number))  # Output: <class 'int'>
    print(type(my_string))  # Output: <class 'str'>
    print(type(my_list))   # Output: <class 'list'>

Practical Insights:

  • Python's dynamic typing makes coding faster and more flexible, as you don't need to declare types beforehand.
  • You can reassign a variable to a different data type without any issues. For instance, you can change my_number from an integer to a string:
     my_number = "10" 
     print(type(my_number))  # Output: <class 'str'>

Conclusion:

Python's dynamic typing simplifies variable declaration and allows for flexibility in code. The interpreter automatically infers the data type of a variable based on the assigned value.

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