12/13/24, 11:29 PM Python Escape Character Sequences (Examples)

Python Escape Character Sequences (Examples)

By : Logan Young Updated November 21, 2024

Escape characters or sequences are illegal characters for Python and never get
printed as part of the output. When backslash is used in Python programming, it
allows the program to escape the next characters.

Following would be the syntax for an escape sequence

Syntax:

\Escape character

Explanation:
Here, the escape character could be t, n, e, or backslash itself.

Table of Contents:

Types of Escape Sequence

Escape characters can be classified as non-printable characters when backslash
precedes them. The print statements do not print escape characters.

Here is a list of Escape Characters

Code Description
\’ Single quotation

\\ Backslash

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Code Description
\n New Line

\r Carriage return

\t Tab

\b Backspace

\f Form feed

\ooo Octal equivalent

\xhhh Hexadecimal equivalent

Example Usage of Various Escape Characters

Escape
character Function Example Code Result

\n The new line character helps the txt = “Guru\n99!” Guru99

programmer to insert a new line print(txt)
before or after a string.

\\ This escape sequence allows the txt = “Guru\\99!” Guru\99!

programmer to insert a print(txt)
backslash into the Python
output.

\xhh Use a backslash followed by a txt = Guru99!

hexadecimal number. “\x47\x75\x72\x75” +
This is done by printing in “99!”
backslash with the hexadecimal print(txt)
equivalent in double quotes.

\ooo To get the integer value of an txt = GURU99!

octal value, provide a backslash ‘\107\125\122\125’+
followed by ooo or octal number

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12/13/24, 11:29 PM Python Escape Character Sequences (Examples)

Escape
character Function Example Code Result
in double-quotes. “99!”
It is done by printing in a print(txt)
backslash with three octal
equivalents in double quotes.

\b This escape sequence provides txt = “Guru\b99!” Gur99!

backspace to the Python string. print(txt)
It is inserted by adding a
backslash followed by “b”.
“b” here represents backslash.

\f It helps in the interpolation of txt = “Guru\f99!” Guru

literal strings print(txt) 99!

\r It helps you to create a raw string txt = “Guru\r99!” 99!u

print(txt)

\’ It helps you to add a single txt = “Guru\’99!” Guru’99!

quotation to string print(txt)

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What Does “\t” Do in Python?

The t alphabet in Python represents a space. It enables you to insert space or tab
between strings in a code. It helps us to have space in the Python program when

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there is a need for it. To eliminate the usage of keyboard space, the coders utilize
tab escape sequences.

Following is the syntax for a tab escape sequence.

Syntax:

“\t”

Example:
In this example, the string used is “Guru99”. The program will put a tab or a space
between Guru and 99.

Python Code:
This code is editable. Click Run to Execute

1 TextExample="Guru\t99"
2 print (TextExample)
3

Run

Output:

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12/13/24, 11:29 PM Python Escape Character Sequences (Examples)

Guru 99

Explanation:
In the above example, instead of adding space using a keyboard, the program helps
us by putting a space or a tab between the string “Guru99”. It also provides a space
at the precise location where the escape sequence is added.

When to use “\t” in Python?

The escape sequence tab is utilized to put a horizontal tab between words and
hence helps manipulate python strings. However, If the escape sequence tab is not
used, the programmer has to manually add a space between every word of the
string.

You can transform it into a time-consuming exercise. Moreover, the space added
between different keywords may or may not be precise in its placement.

Here is an example that displays the manual addition of a space between words
and the use of an escape sequence between words.

Python Code:
This code is editable. Click Run to Execute

1 print("Manually Added space in string Guru 99")

2 TextExample="Use\tof\ttab\tto\tadd\tspace\tGuru\t99"
3 print(TextExample)
4

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Run

Output:

Manually Added space in string Guru 99

Use of tab to add space Guru 99

Explanation:
The programmer manually added space between words in the above code, so the
placement was not precise. When the escape sequence tab was applied, the
program automatically provided the precise location of space between words.

Application of built-in function Chr () and Ord ()

The Chr () function is a built function that takes a single argument as input. The
function takes Unicode characters as an input which ranges from 0 to 1,114 and
111, respectively. The function can be used as the substitute for escape sequence
“\t” to put a space between two words.

The syntax for the Chr function is represented below: –

Syntax: –

Chr(Unicode character)

The tab has the Unicode character 9. Use the following Python command to arrive
at the Unicode character as shown below: –

Python Code:
This code is editable. Click Run to Execute

1 print("Unicode character of the tab is")

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2 Ord=ord('\t')
3 print(Ord)
4

Run

Output:

Unicode character of the tab is

9

Explanation:
The above code provides the Unicode character for the tab. It can be used as an
input for the Chr function. Use of Chr (9) would allow us to create a substitute for a
tab escape sequence.

This code is an example of how to use Chr (9), as shown below:

Python Code:

TextExample="Guru+chr(9)+99"
print(TextExample)

Output:

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Guru 99

The above function, however, is deprecated for version 3 and above.

Summary
Backslash is also regarded as a special character.
To create an escape sequence, begin with a backslash followed by the illegal
character.
Examples of escape sequences include “\b”, “\t”,”\n”,”\xhh” and “\ooo”
respectively.
“\t” allows inserting a space or tab between two words. It plays a similar role
to the space key present on the keyboard.
“\t” is used when the programmer wants to add space to a string at a precise
location.
Certain whitespaces help in putting a new line between python strings.
Line feed and carriage return, vertical tab, and form feed are types of
whitespaces.

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