Unleash the Power of Formatting in Python

The Basics of Formatting

The format() function takes two parameters: value and format_spec. The value parameter is the data you want to format, while format_spec specifies how you want to format it. The result? A beautifully formatted string representation of your data.

Numeric Formatting: The Basics

Let’s start with a simple example. Using format(123, 'd'), we can convert the integer 123 to its decimal string representation.

print(format(123, 'd'))  # Output: 123

But that’s not all – we can also use format(123, 'b') to get its binary representation.

print(format(123, 'b'))  # Output: 1111011

The key? Format specifiers like d for decimal and b for binary.

Alignment: The Art of Placement

Alignment is all about positioning your data within a designated space. It’s about controlling where your number starts and ends, creating a visually appealing display.

With Python’s format() function, you have three alignment options:

• Right-aligned: Use >10d to right-align your number within a 10-character width, with extra space on the left.
• Left-aligned: Use <10d to left-align your number within a 10-character width, with extra space on the right.
• Centered: Use ^10d to center your number within a 10-character width, with extra space evenly distributed on both sides.

print("{:>10d}".format(123))  # Right-aligned
print("{:<10d}".format(123))  # Left-aligned
print("{:^10d}".format(123))  # Centered

Sign Options: Show or Hide

When working with numbers, signs matter. Python’s format() function lets you control the display of signs for positive and negative numbers.

• Show signs for both positive and negative numbers: Use +.
• Show signs only for negative numbers: Use -.
• Show a space for positive numbers and a minus for negative numbers: Use ' '.

print("{:+d}".format(123))  # +123
print("{:-d}".format(-123))  # -123
print("{: d}".format(123))  #  123

Precision: The Power of Digits

Precision is all about controlling the number of digits displayed after a decimal point.

With Python’s format() function, you can specify the number of digits to show using .2f, for example.

print("{:.2f}".format(123.4567))  # 123.46

This means two digits will be displayed after the decimal point, giving you precise control over your data’s presentation.