How to Add to a String in Python

Learn how to add text, numbers, or other strings to an existing string in Python with this easy-to-follow tutorial. …

Learn how to add text, numbers, or other strings to an existing string in Python with this easy-to-follow tutorial.

Definition of the Concept

In Python, a string is a sequence of characters, such as words or letters. When you want to add new content to an existing string, it’s called concatenation. Concatenation involves combining two or more strings together to form a single, longer string.

Step-by-Step Explanation

Here are the steps to follow when adding to a string in Python:

1. Start with an Existing String

First, you need to have an existing string that you want to add content to. This can be a simple string like "Hello" or something more complex like "\tThis is a tabbed string.".

existing_string = "Hello"

2. Decide What You Want to Add

Next, determine what new content you want to add to the existing string. This could be another string, an integer, or even a list of values.

3. Use Concatenation (the + Operator)

To add content to the existing string, use the concatenation operator (+). You can combine two strings using the following syntax:

new_string = existing_string + " world"

In this example, "Hello" is the existing string, and " world" is the new content being added.

4. Add Multiple Items to a String

If you want to add multiple items to an existing string, simply use the concatenation operator (+) with each item:

existing_string = "Hello"
new_string = existing_string + ", how are you?" + "! This is exciting."
print(new_string)

Output: Hello, how are you?! This is exciting.

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few more tips to keep in mind when working with strings:

• String Literals: You can enclose string literals within double quotes ("") or single quotes (' ').
• Multiline Strings: If you have a long string that spans multiple lines, use triple quotes (""" """ or `''' ‘'') to format it.
• String Formatting: Use the % operator for simple formatting or f-strings (formatted strings) for more complex cases.

name = "John"
age = 25
print("My name is %s and I'm %d years old." % (name, age))

Output: My name is John and I'm 25 years old.

Or,

greeting = f"Hello, {name}! You're now {age}."
print(greeting)

Output: Hello, John! You're now 25.