{"id":243,"date":"2023-05-09T11:21:50","date_gmt":"2023-05-09T11:21:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/askpython.com\/?p=243"},"modified":"2026-04-14T06:14:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T06:14:12","slug":"python-indentation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.askpython.com\/python\/python-indentation","title":{"rendered":"Indentation in Python (With Examples)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Python uses indentation \u2014 not braces or keywords \u2014 to group statements into logical code blocks. Every function, loop, class, and conditional in Python depends on consistent indentation to work correctly. Get it wrong and Python throws an IndentationError<\/code> immediately. This guide covers the rules, common mistakes, and how to avoid indentation-related bugs in your code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indentation in Python refers to the whitespace at the start of a line that tells Python which block a statement belongs to. Blocks are groups of code that run together \u2014 like the body of an if<\/code> statement or the statements inside a for<\/code> loop. Python requires you to indent those statements uniformly, typically using 4 spaces per level. This is different from languages like C, C++, and Java that use curly braces {}<\/code> to define blocks. Let\u2019s walk through everything you need to know to use indentation correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Indentation in Python?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Indentation in Python refers to the whitespaces at the start of a line that indicate a block of code. Python uses indentation where other languages use braces { }<\/code>. When you write a function, loop, or conditional statement, the lines that \u201cbelong\u201d to it must be indented consistently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The leading whitespaces (spaces or tabs) at the start of a line determine the indentation level. You increase the indent level to open a new block and decrease it to close one. Python\u2019s official style guide (PEP 8) recommends using 4 spaces per indentation level<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a complete example showing indentation in action:<\/p>\n\n\n

\ndef foo():\n    print("Hi")\n\n    if True:\n        print("true")\n    else:\n        print("false")\n\nprint("Done")\n\n<\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n
\"Python
Python Indentation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Python vs Other Languages: A Quick Comparison<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Most mainstream programming languages use braces { }<\/code> to define code blocks. Python takes a different approach \u2014 it uses indentation. Here\u2019s how they compare:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/th>Python<\/th>C \/ C++ \/ Java \/ JavaScript<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Block delimiter<\/td>Indentation (spaces\/tabs)<\/td>Curly braces { }<\/code><\/td><\/tr>
Enforcement<\/td>Python interpreter requires it<\/td>Braces required, whitespace ignored<\/td><\/tr>
Style guide<\/td>PEP 8 recommends 4 spaces<\/td>Commonly 4 spaces or 2 spaces<\/td><\/tr>
Mixing tabs and spaces<\/td>Allowed but discouraged<\/td>Irrelevant (braces do the grouping)<\/td><\/tr>
Readability<\/td>Forced clean code structure<\/td>Flexible but easy to write messy code<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Python Indentation Rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Follow these rules to write valid Python code:<\/p>\n\n\n\n