Mastering Python If...Else Statements: A Guide to Conditional Programming

Learn how to control the flow of your Python programs with if...else statements. This guide covers essential concepts of Python conditions, logical operators, and decision-making techniques, helping you to write efficient, readable code based on dynamic conditions.

Python If...Else Statements

In Python, conditions and if statements are essential tools that let you control the flow of your program. You can use logical conditions, like those found in mathematics, to make decisions and execute specific code based on those conditions.

Common Logical Conditions in Python

Here are the standard logical conditions available in Python:

• Equals: a == b
• Not Equals: a != b
• Less than: a < b
• Less than or equal to: a <= b
• Greater than: a > b
• Greater than or equal to: a >= b

These conditions are commonly used within if statements and loops to decide the actions your code will take.

Using the If Statement

In Python, an if statement allows you to execute code only if a certain condition is met. This statement begins with the if keyword.

a = 45
b = 120
if b > a:
print("b is greater than a")
        

b is greater than a
        

In this example, we have two variables, a and b. The if statement checks if b is greater than a. Since a is 45 and b is 120, the output confirms that b is indeed greater than a.

Indentation in Python

Python uses indentation (spaces at the beginning of a line) to indicate the scope of code, such as what lines are part of an if statement. This is different from many other programming languages, which often use curly braces { } to define scope.

Without the correct indentation, your code will raise an error, so it’s important to be consistent with spacing in Python.