Related values often arrive in separate lists, such as names in one list and scores in another. Python’s zip() function pairs items at matching positions and returns an iterator that yields tuples. I’ll explain what zip() returns and show how…
A script that uses Python’s math module needs a way to refer to its code. An import statement makes a module or selected names available to your script. I’ll show how to choose an import form and check which locations…
An unfamiliar Python value can leave you unsure what operations it supports. type() reports the value’s class, which defines what its instances can do, or creates a class when called with three arguments. I’ll walk through both forms of type()…
To reuse a function across Python files, you can put it in one file and import that file where you need it. A Python module is a file of statements and definitions, usually with a .py extension, that another file…
When a script saves a file inside a new folder, that folder has to exist first. Python’s standard library provides pathlib for working with paths, and Path.mkdir() creates a folder while parents=True tells it to create any missing folders above…
Names and scores can be paired by position to make rows for a list of records. A Python list of tuples stores those rows in an outer list, with each tuple holding the ordered fields for one row. I’ll show…
Matching each name with its score means using the values at the same positions in both lists. Python’s zip() lets a loop process values from corresponding positions together. I’ll show how to choose a loop for the information each pass…
When a Python project needs a library, the first task is finding a package that fits what the code needs. pip installs Python packages from PyPI or another configured package index. This article shows how to search PyPI by purpose…
Calling `”Python python PYTHON”.replace(“python”, “Ruby”)` changes only the lowercase match. I appreciate the `count` argument because it caps how many matches change. Pass the old and new text to `str.replace()` and check the returned string. Compare that returned string with…
An empty `soup.select(…)` result leaves you with no tags to turn into records, even if the page looks full in a browser. I like that it sends attention back to the actual HTML instead of making the selector a guessing…
