Getting started - Python objects, basic types, and variables#

Everything in Python is an object and every object in Python has a type. Some of the basic types include:

  • int (integer; a whole number with no decimal place)

    • 10

    • -3

  • float (float; a number that has a decimal place)

    • 7.41

    • -0.006

  • str (string; a sequence of characters enclosed in single quotes, double quotes, or triple quotes)

    • 'this is a string using single quotes'

    • "this is a string using double quotes"

    • '''this is a triple quoted string using single quotes'''

    • """this is a triple quoted string using double quotes"""

  • bool (boolean; a binary value that is either true or false)

    • True

    • False

  • NoneType (a special type representing the absence of a value)

    • None

In Python, a variable is a name you specify in your code that maps to a particular object, object instance, or value.

By defining variables, we can refer to things by names that make sense to us. Names for variables can only contain letters, underscores (_), or numbers (no spaces, dashes, or other characters). Variable names must start with a letter or underscore.