2.1.2.8 Python literals

Strings

Strings are used when you need to process text (like names of all kinds, addresses, novels, etc.), not numbers.

You already know a bit about them, e.g., that strings need quotes the way floats need points.

This is a very typical string: "I am a string."

However, there is a catch. The catch is how to encode a quote inside a string which is already delimited by quotes.

Let's assume that we want to print a very simple message saying:

I like "Monty Python"

How do we do it without generating an error? There are two possible solutions.

The first is based on the concept we already know of the escape character, which you should remember is played by the backslash. The backslash can escape quotes too. A quote preceded by a backslash changes its meaning - it's not a delimiter, but just a quote. This will work as intended:

print("I like \"Monty Python\"")

Note: there are two escaped quotes inside the string - can you see them both?

The second solution may be a bit surprising. Python can use an apostrophe instead of a quote. Either of these characters may delimit strings, but you must be consistent.

If you open a string with a quote, you have to close it with a quote.

If you start a string with an apostrophe, you have to end it with an apostrophe.

This example will work too:

print('I like "Monty Python"')

Note: you don't need to do any escaping here.