Could someone help me understand the input() function? (lemmy.blahaj.zone)

submitted 5 months ago by EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/python@programming.dev

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I'm currently learning Python and am learning about very basic functions such as int(), float(), and input().

I have the first two down pat, but I'm struggling to understand the last. The example I'm looking at is found at 12:26 of this video:

nam = input('Who are you? ')
print('Welcome', nam)

Who are you? Chuck
Welcome Chuck

In this case, wouldn't nam be a variable equal to the text on the right side of the = sign?

In which case, if nam is equal to input('Who are you? '), then wouldn't print('Welcome', nam) just result in

Welcome input(Who are you? )?

Obviously not (nor does it work in a compiler), which leads me to believe I'm clearly misunderstanding something. But I've rewatched that section of the video several times, and looked it up elsewhere on the web, and I just can't wrap my head around it.

Could someone help me with this?

Thanks.

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[-] dozymoe@mastodon.social 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

@EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted i maybe wrong

input() is a python function that accepts arguments and returns value of type string.

int() and float() are special type of functions called constructor, magical.

int, or integer, on itself is a datatype like str, or string, is a datatype, to create an int you'd use its costructor int('23') something like that

int is a builtin datatype, so by typing 23, you already have an instance of int

[-] WolfLink@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 months ago

input prints the text based as an argument to the command line, waits for the user to type text followed by a new line to the command line, and returns the text as a string as its return value.

TLDR input asks the user for text via the command line.