How Do I Determine the Type of a Variable in Python?

Understanding Variable Types in Python

Knowing the type of a variable is crucial for developing efficient and accurate Python programs. This article explains how to determine a variable's type in Python.

Using the type() Function

To determine a variable's type, the built-in function type() provides the simplest method. It returns the type of the provided variable as an object. For example:

>>> i = 123
>>> type(i)
<type 'int'>
>>> i = 123.456
>>> type(i)
<type 'float'>

Comparing Variable Types

To compare a variable's type against a known type, use the is operator. For instance:

>>> type(i) is int
True
>>> type(i) is float
False

Using isinstance() for Type Checking

isinstance() allows you to check if a variable is an instance of a specific type or a subclass of it. For example:

>>> isinstance(i, int)
True
>>> isinstance(i, (float, str, set, dict))
False

Note: C/C Types and Python Types

Python differs from C/C in terms of variable types. C/C provides explicit data types, whereas Python dynamically determines data types based on the value assigned to a variable.

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