**Understanding Python Variables**
Variables in Python are symbolic names that serve as references or placeholders for values. They are
fundamental to storing, accessing, and manipulating data in a program. Python simplifies the use of
variables by dynamically inferring their data types based on the values assigned to them.
---
**Key Characteristics of Python Variables**
1. **Dynamic Typing**:
Python is dynamically typed, meaning you don’t need to declare the type of a variable. For
example:
```python
age = 25 Automatically considered as an integer
name = "Alice" Automatically considered as a string
```
2. **Case Sensitivity**:
Variable names in Python are case-sensitive. For instance:
```python
Score = 10 Different from score
```
3. **Reassignment**:
Variables can be reassigned to values of different types during execution:
```python
value = 42
value = "Hello, World!" Type changes from int to string
```
---
**Rules for Naming Variables**
1. **Start with a Letter or Underscore**:
Variable names must begin with a letter (a–z, A–Z) or an underscore (_).
```python
_counter = 0
```
2. **Contain Letters, Numbers, or Underscores**:
Variable names can include letters, numbers, or underscores but cannot have spaces or special
characters.
```python
user_name = "John Doe"
```
3. **Avoid Keywords**:
Python keywords like `if`, `while`, and `return` cannot be used as variable names.
4. **Be Descriptive**:
Use meaningful names that reflect the purpose of the variable. For example:
```python
radius = 7 Good name
r=7 Less descriptive
```
---
**Types of Variables in Python**
Python variables can hold various types of data, including:
1. **Numeric Types**:
- `int`: Integer values, e.g., `42`
- `float`: Decimal values, e.g., `3.14`
- `complex`: Complex numbers, e.g., `3 + 4j`
2. **Text Type**:
- `str`: String of characters, e.g., `"Hello"`
3. **Boolean Type**:
- `bool`: Values are `True` or `False`
4. **Collections**:
- `list`: Ordered collection, e.g., `[1, 2, 3]`
- `tuple`: Immutable collection, e.g., `(1, 2, 3)`
- `set`: Unordered collection of unique items, e.g., `{1, 2, 3}`
- `dict`: Key-value pairs, e.g., `{"name": "Alice", "age": 25}`
---
**Best Practices for Variables**
1. **Use Descriptive Names**:
Avoid generic names like `x` or `data`. Instead, use meaningful names like `user_age` or
`total_score`.
2. **Follow Naming Conventions**:
Use snake_case for variable names, and UPPER_CASE for constants:
```python
MAX_SPEED = 120
```
3. **Avoid Global Variables**:
Limit the use of global variables to avoid unintended modifications.
---
**Variable Scope**
1. **Local Scope**: Variables declared inside a function are local and cannot be accessed outside it:
```python
def example():
local_var = 10 Only accessible within this function
```
2. **Global Scope**: Variables declared outside all functions are global and accessible anywhere in
the file:
```python
global_var = "I'm global"
```
3. **Nonlocal Scope**: Variables in nested functions that use the `nonlocal` keyword to modify their
enclosing function's variables.
---
**Constants in Python**
While Python does not have built-in support for constants, conventionally, variable names in
uppercase are treated as constants:
```python
PI = 3.14159
GRAVITY = 9.8
```
By adhering to best practices and understanding the nuances of Python variables, developers can
write clean, maintainable, and effective code.
