Python defines type conversion functions to directly convert one data type to another which is useful in day-to-day and competitive programming. This article is aimed at providing information about certain conversion functions.
There are two types of Type Conversion in Python:
- Python Implicit Type Conversion
- Python Explicit Type Conversion
Type Conversion in Python
The act of changing an object’s data type is known as type conversion. The Python interpreter automatically performs Implicit Type Conversion. Python prevents Implicit Type Conversion from losing data.
The user converts the data types of objects using specified functions in explicit type conversion, sometimes referred to as type casting. When type casting, data loss could happen if the object is forced to conform to a particular data type.
Implicit Type Conversion in Python
In Implicit type conversion of data types in Python, the Python interpreter automatically converts one data type to another without any user involvement. To get a more clear view of the topic see the below examples.
Example
As we can see the data type of ‘z’ got automatically changed to the “float” type while one variable x is of integer type while the other variable y is of float type. The reason for the float value not being converted into an integer instead is due to type promotion that allows performing operations by converting data into a wider-sized data type without any loss of information. This is a simple case of Implicit type conversion in Python.
Python3
x = 10print("x is of type:",type(x))y = 10.6print("y is of type:",type(y))z = x + yprint(z)print("z is of type:",type(z)) |
Output
x is of type: <class 'int'>
y is of type: <class 'float'>
20.6
z is of type: <class 'float'>
Explicit Type Conversion in Python
In Explicit Type Conversion in Python, the data type is manually changed by the user as per their requirement. With explicit type conversion, there is a risk of data loss since we are forcing an expression to be changed in some specific data type. Various forms of explicit type conversion are explained below:
Converting integer to float
int(a, base): This function converts any data type to an integer. ‘Base’ specifies the base in which the string is if the data type is a string.
float(): This function is used to convert any data type to a floating-point number.
Python3
# initializing strings = "10010"# printing string converting to int base 2c = int(s,2)print ("After converting to integer base 2 : ", end="")print (c)# printing string converting to floate = float(s)print ("After converting to float : ", end="")print (e) |
Output:
After converting to integer base 2 : 18
After converting to float : 10010.0
Python Type conversion using ord(), hex(), oct()
ord(): This function is used to convert a character to an integer.
hex(): This function is to convert an integer to a hexadecimal string.
oct(): This function is to convert an integer to an octal string.
Python3
# initializing integers = '4'# printing character converting to integerc = ord(s)print ("After converting character to integer : ",end="")print (c)# printing integer converting to hexadecimal stringc = hex(56)print ("After converting 56 to hexadecimal string : ",end="")print (c)# printing integer converting to octal stringc = oct(56)print ("After converting 56 to octal string : ",end="")print (c) |
Output:
After converting character to integer : 52
After converting 56 to hexadecimal string : 0x38
After converting 56 to octal string : 0o70
Python Type conversion using tuple(), set(), list()
tuple(): This function is used to convert to a tuple.
set(): This function returns the type after converting to set.
list(): This function is used to convert any data type to a list type.
Python3
# initializing strings = 'Lazyroar'# printing string converting to tuplec = tuple(s)print ("After converting string to tuple : ",end="")print (c)# printing string converting to setc = set(s)print ("After converting string to set : ",end="")print (c)# printing string converting to listc = list(s)print ("After converting string to list : ",end="")print (c) |
Output:
After converting string to tuple : ('g', 'e', 'e', 'k', 's')
After converting string to set : {'k', 'e', 's', 'g'}
After converting string to list : ['g', 'e', 'e', 'k', 's']
Python code to demonstrate Type conversion using dict(), complex(), str()
dict(): This function is used to convert a tuple of order (key, value) into a dictionary.
str(): Used to convert an integer into a string.
complex(real,imag) : This function converts real numbers to complex(real,imag) number.
Python3
# initializing integersa = 1b = 2# initializing tupletup = (('a', 1) ,('f', 2), ('g', 3))# printing integer converting to complex numberc = complex(1,2)print ("After converting integer to complex number : ",end="")print (c)# printing integer converting to stringc = str(a)print ("After converting integer to string : ",end="")print (c)# printing tuple converting to expression dictionaryc = dict(tup)print ("After converting tuple to dictionary : ",end="")print (c) |
Output:
After converting integer to complex number : (1+2j)
After converting integer to string : 1
After converting tuple to dictionary : {'a': 1, 'f': 2, 'g': 3}
Convert ASCII value to characters
chr(number): This function converts a number to its corresponding ASCII character.
Python3
a = chr(76)b = chr(77)print(a)print(b) |
Output:
L
M
