Introduction to Typecasting in Python

Typecasting, also known as type conversion, is the process of converting one data type to another. In Python, you can convert a variable from one type to another using various typecasting functions or methods.

Python provides a range of built-in functions that can be used for typecasting, including:

• int() - converts a value to an integer
• float() - converts a value to a float
• str() - converts a value to a string
• list() - converts a value to a list
• tuple() - converts a value to a tuple
• set() - converts a value to a set
• bool() - converts a value to a boolean

Typecasting Examples

Let's take a look at some examples of typecasting in Python:

Converting to an Integer

To convert a value to an integer, use the int() function. For example:

# Convert a string to an integer
my_string = "42"
my_int = int(my_string)
print(my_int) # Output: 42

# Convert a float to an integer
my_float = 3.14
my_int = int(my_float)
print(my_int) # Output: 3

Converting to a Float

To convert a value to a float, use the float() function. For example:

# Convert a string to a float
my_string = "3.14"
my_float = float(my_string)
print(my_float) # Output: 3.14

# Convert an integer to a float
my_int = 42
my_float = float(my_int)
print(my_float) # Output: 42.0

Converting to a String

To convert a value to a string, use the str() function. For example:

# Convert an integer to a string
my_int = 42
my_string = str(my_int)
print(my_string) # Output: "42"

# Convert a float to a string
my_float = 3.14
my_string = str(my_float)
print(my_string) # Output: "3.14"

Converting to a List or Tuple

To convert a value to a list or tuple, use the list() or tuple() function. For example:

# Convert a string to a list
my_string = "hello"
my_list = list(my_string)
print(my_list)

# Convert a tuple to a list
my_tuple = (1, 2, 3)
my_list = list(my_tuple)
print(my_list) # Output: [1, 2, 3]

# Convert a list to a tuple
my_list = [4, 5, 6]
my_tuple = tuple(my_list)
print(my_tuple) # Output: (4, 5, 6)

Converting to a Set

To convert a value to a set, use the set() function. For example:

# Convert a string to a set
my_string = "hello"
my_set = set(my_string)
print(my_set) # Output: {'h', 'l', 'o', 'e'}

# Convert a list to a set
my_list = [1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3]
my_set = set(my_list)
print(my_set) # Output: {1, 2, 3}

Converting to a Boolean

To convert a value to a boolean, use the bool() function. For example:

# Convert an empty string to False
my_string = ""
my_bool = bool(my_string)
print(my_bool) # Output: False

# Convert a non-empty string to True
my_string = "hello"
my_bool = bool(my_string)
print(my_bool) # Output: True

# Convert 0 to False
my_int = 0
my_bool = bool(my_int)
print(my_bool) # Output: False

# Convert a non-zero integer to True
my_int = 42
my_bool = bool(my_int)
print(my_bool) # Output: True

Conclusion

Typecasting is an important concept in Python that allows you to convert a variable from one data type to another. Python provides a range of built-in functions that can be used for typecasting, including int() , float() , str() , list() , tuple() , set() , and bool() . Understanding how to use these functions is crucial for writing effective Python programs.