Python String format() Method

Last Updated : 26 Mar, 2025

format() method in Python is a tool used to create formatted strings. By

embedding variables or values into placeholders within a template string, we can
construct dynamic, well-organized output. It replaces the outdated % formatting
method, making string interpolation more readable and efficient. Example:

a = "shakshi" # name
b = 22 # age

msg = "My name is {0} and I am {1} years old.".format(a,b)

print(msg)

Output

My name is shakshi and I am 22 years old.

Explanation: format(a, b) method replaces {0} with the first argument (a =

"shakshi") and {1} with the second argument (b = 22).

String Format() Syntax

string.format(value1, value2, ...)

Parameter: values (such as integers, strings, or variables) to be inserted into

the placeholders in the string.
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Returns: a string with the provided values embedded in the placeholders.

Using a single placeholder

A single placeholder {} is used when only one value needs to be inserted into
the string. The format() method replaces the placeholder with the specified
value.

# using a single placeholder

print("{}, a platform for coding
enthusiasts.".format("GeeksforGeeks"))

# formatting with a variable

a = "Python"
print("This article is written in {}.".format(a))

# formatting with a number

b = 18
print("Hello, I am {} years old!".format(b))

Output
 GeeksforGeeks, a platform for coding enthusiasts.
This article is written in Python.
Hello, I am 18 years old!

Using multiple placeholders

When a string requires multiple values to be inserted, we use multiple
placeholders {}. The format() method replaces each placeholder with the
corresponding value in the provided order.

Syntax:

"{ } { }".format(value1, value2)

Parameters:

Accepts integers, floats, strings, characters, or variables.

Note: The number of placeholders must match the number of values

provided.

Example:
 # Using multiple placeholders
print("{} is a {} science portal for
{}.".format("GeeksforGeeks", "computer", "geeks"))

# Formatting different data types

print("Hi! My name is {} and I am {} years
old.".format("User", 19))

# Values replace placeholders in order

print("This is {} {} {} {}.".format("one", "two", "three",
"four"))

Output

GeeksforGeeks is a computer science portal for geeks.

Hi! My name is User and I am 19 years old.
This is one two three four.

String format() IndexError

Python assigns indexes to placeholders {0}, {1}, {2}, .... If the number of
placeholders exceeds the provided values, an IndexError occurs.

Example:

s = "{}, is a {} {} science portal for {}"

print(s.format("GeeksforGeeks", "computer", "geeks")) #
Missing one argument

Output
 Hangup (SIGHUP)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/home/guest/sandbox/Solution.py", line 2, in
<module>
print(s.format("GeeksforGeeks", "computer", "geeks")) #
Missing one argument
~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
IndexError: Replacement index 3 out of range for positional
args tuple

Escape Sequences in Strings

We can use escape sequences to format strings in a more readable way.
Escape sequences allow us to insert special characters such as newline \n, tab
\t, or quotes.

Escape Description Example

sequence

Breaks the string print('I designed this rhyme to explain

\n
into a new line in due time\nAll I know')

Adds a horizontal
\t print('Time is a \tvaluable thing')
tab

print('Watch it fly by\\as the pendulum

\\ Prints a backslash
swings')

Prints a single print('It doesn\'t even matter how hard

\'
quote you try')

Prints a double
\" print('It is so\"unreal\"')
 Prints a double
\" print('It is so\"unreal\"')
quote

makes a sound like

\a a bell print('\a')

Positional and Keyword Arguments in format

In Python, {} placeholders in str.format() are replaced sequentially by default.
However, they can also be explicitly referenced using index numbers (starting
from 0) or keyword arguments.

Syntax:

"{0} {1}".format(positional_argument, keyword_argument)

Parameters : (positional_argument, keyword_argument)

Positional_argument can be integers, floating point numeric constants,

strings, characters and even variables.
Keyword_argument is essentially a variable storing some value, which is
passed as parameter.

Example:
 # Positional arguments (placed in order)
print("{} love {}!!".format("GeeksforGeeks", "Geeks"))

# Changing order using index

print("{1} love {0}!!".format("GeeksforGeeks", "Geeks"))

# Default order in placeholders

print("Every {} should know the use of {} {} programming
and {}".format("programmer", "Open", "Source", "Operating
Systems"))

# Reordering using index

print("Every {3} should know the use of {2} {1}
programming and {0}".format("programmer", "Open",
"Source", "Operating Systems"))

# keyword arguments
print("{gfg} is a {0} science portal for
{1}".format("computer", "geeks", gfg="GeeksforGeeks"))

Output

GeeksforGeeks love Geeks!!

Geeks love GeeksforGeeks!!
Every programmer should know the use of Open Source
programming and Operating Systems
 Every Operating Systems should know the use of Source Open
p...

Formatting with Type Specifiers

Python allows specifying the type specifier while formatting data, such as
integers, floating-point numbers, and strings. This is useful for controlling the
display of numeric values, dates and text alignment.

Example:

product, brand, price, issue, effect = "Smartphone",

"Amazon", 12000, "bug", "troubling"

print("{:<20} is a popular electronics

brand.".format(brand))
print("They have a {} for {} rupees.".format(product,
price))
print("I wondered why the program was {} me—turns out it
was a {}.".format(effect, issue))
print("Truncated product name: {:.5}".format(product))

Output

Amazon is a popular electronics brand.

They have a Smartphone for 12000 rupees.
I wondered why the program was troubling me—turns out it was
a bug.
Truncated product name: Smart

Explanation:
 %-20s left-aligns the brand name within 20 spaces.
%s inserts strings dynamically.
%d formats integers properly.
%.5 truncates the product name to the first 5 characters.

Another useful Type Specifying

Specifier Description

%u
unsigned decimal integer

%o
octal integer

%f
floating-point display

%b
binary number

%x
hexadecimal lowercase

%X
hexadecimal uppercase

%e
exponent notation

We can specify formatting symbols using a colon (:) instead of %. For example,
instead of %s, use {:s}, and instead of %d, use {:d}. This approach provides a
more readable and flexible way to format strings in Python.
Example:

print("This site is {:.6f}% securely {}!!".format(100,

"encrypted"))

# To limit the precision

print("My average of this {} was
Python Tutorial Interview Questions Python
{:.2f}%".format("semester", Quiz Python Glossary
78.234876)) Python Projects

# For no decimal places

print("My average of this {} was
{:.0f}%".format("semester", 78.234876))

# Convert an integer to its binary or other bases

print("The {} of 100 is {:b}".format("binary", 100))
print("The {} of 100 is {:o}".format("octal", 100))

Output

This site is 100.000000% securely encrypted!!

My average of this semester was 78.23%
My average of this semester was 78%
The binary of 100 is 1100100
The octal of 100 is 144

Explanation:
▲
 {0:f}: Floating-point representation.
{1:.2f}: Floating-point with two decimal places.
{1:.0f}: Rounds the floating number to the nearest integer.
{1:b}: Converts integer to binary.
{1:o}: Converts integer to octal.

Type Specifying Errors

When explicitly converted floating-point values to decimal with base-10 by 'd'
type conversion we encounter Value-Error.

Example:

print("The temperature today is {:d} degrees outside

!".format(35.567))

Output

ValueError: Unknown format code 'd' for object of type

'float'

# Instead write this to avoid value-errors

print("The temperature today is {:.0f} degrees outside

!".format(35.567))

Output

The temperature today is 36 degrees outside !

Handling large data with formatting

Formatters are generally used to Organize Data. If we are showing databases to
users, using formatters to increase field size and modify alignment can make the
output more readable.
Example: Organizing numerical data

def formatted_table(a, b):

for i in range(a, b):
print("{:6d} {:6d} {:6d} {:6d}".format(i, i**2,
i**3, i**4))

formatted_table(3, 10)

Output

3 9 27 81
4 16 64 256
5 25 125 625
6 36 216 1296
7 49 343 2401
8 64 512 4096
9 81 729 6561

Explanation: The formatted_table function prints a table of numbers from a to

b-1, displaying each number along with its square, cube, and fourth power. It
formats the output with each value taking up 6 spaces for clean alignment.

Using a dictionary for formatting

Using a dictionary to unpack values into the placeholders in the string that needs
to be formatted. We basically use ** to unpack the values. This method can be
useful in string substitution while preparing an SQL query.
 d = {"first_name": "Tony", "last_name": "Stark", "aka":
"Iron Man"}
print("My name is {first_name} {last_name}, also known as
{aka}.".format(**d))

Output

My name is Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man.

Explanation: format(**d) method unpacks the dictionary d, replacing the

named placeholders with corresponding values, resulting in a formatted string.

Python format() with list

Given a list of float values, the task is to truncate all float values to 2 decimal
digits. Let’s see the different methods to do the task.

a = [100.7689454, 17.232999, 60.98867, 300.83748789]

# Using format
b = ['{:.2f}'.format(elem) for elem in a]

print(b)

Output

['100.77', '17.23', '60.99', '300.84']

Explanation: list comprehension rounds each element in a to two decimal

places, creating a list of formatted strings in b.
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