Displaying Integers with the format() Function
You can use the format() function to output strings in various formats.
This process is called formatting and involves placing a colon : inside curly braces {} to specify how the data should be displayed.
Example of using the format() function
"{:format_option}".format(value)
-
{ }: Placeholder indicating where to insert the value -
:: Specifies format options
Displaying Integers
To output integers, use {:d} by placing the letter d to the right of the colon inside the curly braces.
Integer output formatting example
number = 123
# Integer output
formatted = "number: {:d}".format(number)
print(formatted) # "number: 123"
If you omit d, Python will automatically apply the appropriate format based on the value's data type.
Automatic type specification formatting example
number = 123
# Integer output
formatted = "number: {}".format(number)
print(formatted) # "number: 123"
Specifying Output Width
Placing a number after the colon sets the minimum width of the output.
For instance, {:5} sets the width of the output string to 5.
Integer output formatting example
number = 123
formatted = "number: {:5}".format(number) # Set width to 5
# Inserts two spaces before 123
print(formatted) # "number: 123",
To pad the width with zeros, prefix the width value with a 0.
Integer output formatting example
number = 123
formatted = "number: {:05}".format(number) # Set width to 5
# Inserts two zeros before 123
print(formatted) # "number: 00123"
Want to learn more?
Join CodeFriends Plus membership or enroll in a course to start your journey.