PYTHON BASICSChapter 1 · Python Basics

Formatted strings

An f-string is a string with an f before the opening quote. Anything inside {curly braces} is worked out and dropped into the text, so you never glue pieces together with +. You can even format numbers: {price:.2f} always shows two decimal places.

Worked example

How it reads

The f before the quote switches on the braces
Braces can hold any expression, like {stars * 2}
:.2f after a value formats it with two decimal places

Common mistakes

Forgetting the f: Python then prints the braces literally.
Using the same quote inside the braces as around the string. Use ' inside a string wrapped in ".

Cloud tip: f-strings convert numbers to text for you, so there is no need for str(stars) when mixing words and numbers.