Python Conditional Statements: An Overview with Examples

Python Conditional Statements: A Comprehensive Guide with Examples

In Python, conditional statements allow us to execute a certain block of code if a certain condition is met. These statements are essential for creating logic and making decisions in programs. In this article, we will take a comprehensive look at Python's conditional statements with examples.

Conditional Statements in Python

Python has two main conditional statements, the "if" statement and the "if-else" statement. Both of these statements follow the same basic structure. They start with a condition, which is an expression that evaluates to either True or False. If the condition is True, then the code block that follows is executed. If the condition is False, then the code block is skipped.

The "if" Statement

The "if" statement is the simplest of the two conditional statements. It checks a condition and executes a block of code only if the condition is True. Here is an example:

x = 10

if x > 5:
    print("x is greater than 5")

In this example, we set the value of x to 10, and then we check if x is greater than 5. Since x is greater than 5, the code block that follows the "if" statement is executed, which prints the message "x is greater than 5" to the console.

The "if-else" Statement

The "if-else" statement is used when we want to execute one block of code if the condition is True, and a different block of code if the condition is False. Here is an example:

x = 3

if x > 5:
    print("x is greater than 5")
else:
    print("x is less than or equal to 5")

In this example, we set the value of x to 3, and then we check if x is greater than 5. Since x is not greater than 5, the code block that follows the "else" statement is executed, which prints the message "x is less than or equal to 5" to the console.

Nested Conditional Statements

We can also nest conditional statements inside one another to create more complex logic. Here is an example:

x = 10
y = 5

if x > 5:
    if y > 3:
        print("x is greater than 5 and y is greater than 3")
    else:
        print("x is greater than 5 and y is less than or equal to 3")
else:
    print("x is less than or equal to 5")

In this example, we have two conditions. The first condition checks if x is greater than 5. If it is, then we move on to the second condition, which checks if y is greater than 3. If both conditions are True, then the code block that follows the nested "if" statement is executed, which prints the message "x is greater than 5 and y is greater than 3" to the console.

Conclusion

Conditional statements are an essential part of Python programming. They allow us to make decisions and execute specific code blocks based on conditions. In this article, we covered the two main conditional statements in Python, the "if" statement and the "if-else" statement. We also looked at an example of how to nest conditional statements inside one another to create more complex logic.