Type conversion and typecasting in python

 What is type conversion?

The process of converting values from one data type to another data type is called type conversion. In python programming, there are two categories of type conversions:

• Implicit type conversion
• Explicit type conversion

Let’s discuss them in detail.

Implicit type conversion:

In implicit type conversion, python interpreter converts lower-level data type to higher-level data type of same nature automatically without any need of user participation.

Let’s consider the following example of adding an integer and float number to understand it the implicit type conversion:

number_int = 22 number_float = 2.2   final_answer = number_int + number_float   print("Type of int: ", type(number_int)) print("Type of float: ", type(number_float)) print("Final answer: ", final_answer) print("Type of final answer: ", type(final_answer))   OUTPUT:   Type of int:  <class 'int'> Type of float:  <class 'float'> Final answer: 24.2 Type of final answer:  <class 'float'>

 

In implicit type conversion, python interpreter take care so no loss of data occurs. Now, let’s take another example to convert the high-level data type to low-level and see whether it implicitly works or not!

number_int = 22 number_string = "33"   final_answer = number_int + number_string   print("Type of int: ", type(number_int)) print("Type of string: ", type(number_string))     OUTPUT:   Traceback (most recent call last):   File "./prog.py", line 4, in <module> TypeError: unsupported operand type(s) for +: 'int' and 'str'

 

Python interpreter did not convert the string to int implicitly so, it needs user involvement to do so.

Explicit type conversion:

Conversion of the object of one data type to another data type by the user is called explicit type conversion.

Some predefined functions like int(), float() and str() etc are used to perform type conversion. It is also called typecasting as a user cast the type of object.

In this type of conversion there are chances of data loss as the object is forced to convert its type. Consider the example below of adding string and integer by converting the sting to integer first:

number_int = 22 number_string = "33" string_to_int = int(number_string) final_answer = number_int + string_to_int   print("Type of int: ", type(number_int)) print("Type of string: ", type(number_string)) print("Type of string after conversion: ", type(string_to_int)) print("Final answer: ", final_answer) print("Type of final answer: ", type(final_answer))     OUTPUT:   Type of int:  <class 'int'> Type of string:  <class 'str'> Type of string after conversion:  <class 'int'> Final answer:  55 Type of final answer:  <class 'int'>

 

That’s all about type conversion and typecasting in python. If you found this article helpful share it with others. Let me know your queries and suggestions in the comment section below. Do subscribe my site and channel as I’m going to upload a series of articles and videos on programming in python and I don’t want you to miss any update.

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