Python String Formatting

To ensure that the string is displayed as expected, we can use format() method formats the result.

string format()

format() methods allow you to format selected parts of the string.

Sometimes part of the text is beyond your control, perhaps they come from a database or user input?

To control such values, add placeholders (curly braces {}），then run the values through the format() method:

Example

Add a placeholder for the price to be displayed:

price = 52
txt = "The price is {} dollars"
print(txt.format(price))

Run Example

You can add parameters inside the curly braces to specify how to convert the values:

Example

Format the price as a number with two decimal places:

txt = "The price is {:.2f} dollars"

Run Example

See all format types in the string format() reference manual.

Multiple values

If you need more values, just add more values to the format() method:

print(txt.format(price, itemno, count))

And add more placeholders:

Example

quantity = 3
itemno = 567
price = 52
myorder = "I want {} pieces of item number {} for {:.2f} dollars."
print(myorder.format(quantity, itemno, price))

Run Example

Index Number

You can use the index number (curly braces {0} to ensure that the value is placed in the correct placeholder:

Example

quantity = 3
itemno = 567
price = 52
myorder = "I want {0} pieces of item number {1} for {2:.2f} dollars."
print(myorder.format(quantity, itemno, price))

Run Example

Additionally, if you need to refer to the same value multiple times, please use the index number:

Example

age = 63
name = "Bill"
txt = "His name is {1}. {1} is {0} years old."
print(txt.format(age, name))

Run Example

Named Indexes

You can also use the number within the curly braces {carname} Enter a name to use named indexes, but when passing parameter values txt.format(carname = "Ford") must use the name:

Example

myorder = "I have a {carname}, it is a {model}."
print(myorder.format(carname = "Porsche", model = "911"))

Run Example