Python Casting

Python Casting: Specifying a Variable Type

There may be times when you want to specify a type on to a variable. This can be done with casting. Python is an object-oriented language, and as such it uses classes to define data types, including its primitive types.

Casting in Python is therefore done using constructor functions:

• int() - constructs an integer number from an integer literal, a float literal (by removing all decimals), or a string literal (providing the string represents a whole number).
• float() - constructs a float number from an integer literal, a float literal or a string literal (providing the string represents a float or an integer).
• str() - constructs a string from a wide variety of data types, including strings, integer literals and float literals.

Integers

x = int(1)   // x will be 1
y = int(2.8) // y will be 2
z = int("3") // z will be 3

print(x, y, z)

Floats

x = float(1)     // x will be 1.0
y = float(2.8)   // y will be 2.8
z = float("3")   // z will be 3.0
w = float("4.2") // w will be 4.2

print(x, y, z, w)

Strings

x = str("s1") // x will be 's1'
y = str(2)    // y will be '2'
z = str(3.0)  // z will be '3.0'

print(x, y, z)