How to change any data type into a String in Python?

In Python, it's common to convert various data types into strings for display or logging purposes. In this article, we will discuss How to change any data type into a string.

Using str() Function

str() function is used to convert most Python data types into a human-readable string format. It is the most commonly used method when we want a string representation of an object for printing or displaying to users.

a = 123

str_a = str(a)
print(str_a)  

123

1. Converting Float to String

b = 45.67
str_b = str(b)
print(str_b)  # Output: "45.67"

45.67

2. Converting Boolean to String

c = True

str_c = str(c)
print(str_c)

True

3. Converting List to String

d = [1, 2, 3]

str_d = str(d)
print(str_d) 

[1, 2, 3]

Other methods we can use to convert data types to strings are:

Using repr() Function

repr() function is used to convert an object into a string that is more formal or "developer-friendly." It is meant to provide a detailed, unambiguous string representation of the object that could often be used to recreate the object.

1. Converting Integer to String

a = 123
repr_a = repr(a)
print(repr_a)  # Output: "123"

123

2. Converting Float to String

b = 45.67

repr_b = repr(b)
print(repr_b)  

45.67

3. Converting List to String

d = [1, 2, 3]

repr_d = repr(d)
print(repr_d)  

[1, 2, 3]

4. Converting Dictionary to String

e = {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}

repr_e = repr(e)
print(repr_e)  

{'name': 'Alice', 'age': 25}

Using __str__() Method

The __str__() method is used to define how an object of a custom class is converted into a string when str() is called on it. This method is part of Python’s object-oriented programming, and it allows us to control the string representation of our own classes.

class MyClass:
    def __str__(self):
        return "I am a custom object!"

obj = MyClass()
str_obj = str(obj)
print(str_obj) 

I am a custom object!

Using __repr__() Method

The __repr__() method is used to define how an object of a custom class is converted into a string when repr() is called. Like __str__(), it is a special method, but it is aimed at providing a more detailed or formal representation of the object for debugging or logging purposes.

class MyClass:
    def __repr__(self):
        return "MyClass()"

obj = MyClass()
repr_obj = repr(obj)
print(repr_obj)  

MyClass()