Escape Sequences in Python

Last Updated on October 31, 2023 by Ankit Kochar

Escape sequences are special character sequences utilized to insert characters that may be impractical or impossible for the user to type directly. For instance, employing an escape sequence is a more efficient and sometimes the only way to insert a new line, as manually accomplishing this task may not be efficient or feasible.

How to Use Escape Sequences?

In Python, you can employ escape sequences by incorporating a backslash character followed by the character you want to insert. As we previously covered in the preceding section regarding inserting a new line, the same principle applies when dealing with double quotes within a string in Python. Attempting to insert double quotes directly may lead to an error, but using a backslash before the character can resolve this issue.

Some of the escape sequences that are widely used by programmers are as follows:-

1. Single Quote (\’)

To use a single quote inside a string, a backslash followed by a single quote makes it valid to be used in a statement.

Example of Simple Quote:

string = "This is a string"
# Insert a single quote before the word "string"
newStr = string[:10] + '\'' + string[10:]
print(newStr)

Output:

This is a 'string

Explanation:
In the above program, we first define a string variable string. Then, we use string slicing to insert a single quote before the word "string". We define a new string variable newStr and use string concatenation to join the sliced parts of the original string and the single quote. Finally, we print the new string.

2. Backslash (\)

To use a backslash inside a string, a backslash must be written as usual before the backslash is printed.

Example of Backslash:

print(" Printed string is \\")

Output:

Printed string is \

Explanation:
In Python, the backslash is used as an escape character, so if you want to print an actual backslash, you need to use a double backslash \ or a raw string with an ‘r’ prefix like r"\"

3. Newline (\n)

Going to a new line is not possible by putting a bunch of pre-determined spaces in python. To go to a new line in Python, you can use the newline character \n within a string. When you print a string that contains the newline character, the output will be split into separate lines at the position of the newline character.

Example of Newline:-

print("This is the first line.\nThis is the second line.")

Output:

This is the first line.
This is the second line.

Explanation:
The \n character is used to indicate a newline, so when you run this program, the output will be both statements separated in two lines by \n character.

4. Carriage Return

It is one of the special escape sequences in python that lets us return to the start of the line overwriting whatever was already written. It is denoted by ‘r’ followed by a backslash.

Example Carriage Return:

print("This is the first line.", end="\r")
print("This is the second line.")

Output:

This is the second line.

Explanation:
The carriage will return to the start of the line at the end of the first statement and the second line will be printed in that case.

5. Tab

A Tab equals eight whitespaces and it can be implemented by writing backslash followed up by t. It is helpful in separating statements to improve the readability of string.

Example of Tab:

print("First\tSecond\tThird")
print("1\t2\t3")
print("A\tB\tC")

Output:

First   Second  Third
  1           2           3
  A           B          C

Explanation:
We wrote three print statements on each line and you can see, the output has three columns of text, with each column separated by a tab character. The \t character moves the cursor to the next tab stop, which is usually set to every eight characters by default.

6. Backspace

When the \b escape sequence is used within a string, it moves the cursor one position to the left, as a matter of fact, it erases the character that was previously present at the position.

Example Backspace:

print("abc\bdef")

Output:

abdef

Explanation:
From the above output, we can find that the backspace escape sequence in python can be used to erase the last typed character in the string, Here, the character was c, which was erased.

7. Octal Value

There exists an escape sequence in python that can convert the octal value into a string. It is represented by ‘\ooo’ where ‘ooo’ is a sequence that has 3 values each ranging from 0 to 7. Let’s take an example to understand.

Example of Octal Value:

print("Example of using the \141 escape sequence.")

Output:

Example of using the escape sequence.

Explanation:
In this above-mentioned code, the print() function is being used to print a string that contains the \141 as an escape sequence. When the escape sequence is read, Python replaces the corresponding ASCII character with the octal value 141, that is ‘a’.

8. Hexadecimal Value

There exists an escape sequence in python that can convert the hexadecimal value into a string. It is represented by ‘\xhh’ where ‘xhh’ is a sequence that has 2 values each ranging from 0 to 9 and A to F. Let’s take an example to understand this better.

Example of Hexadecimal Value:

print("Example of using the \x41 escape sequence.")

Output:

Example of using the A escape sequence.

Explanation:
In this above-mentioned code, the print() function is being used to print a string that contains the \x41 as an escape sequence. When the escape sequence is read, Python replaces the corresponding ASCII character with the hexadecimal value x41, that is ‘A’.

Conclusion
Escape sequences in Python play a crucial role in allowing developers to insert special characters or characters that might be challenging to type directly in strings or text. By using a backslash followed by specific characters, Python provides a way to represent various non-printable or special characters effectively within strings. Understanding and utilizing escape sequences is fundamental for Python developers to work with text and manipulate strings efficiently.
We hope to see you with another informative article here at PrepBytes soon.

Frequently Asked Questions related to Escape Sequences in Python:

Below are some of the FAQs related to Escape Sequences in Python:

1. How are escape sequences used in Python?
Escape sequences are used in Python by prefixing a backslash () to the character that needs to be represented. For example, "\n" represents a newline character, and """ represents a double quote within a string.

2. Why are escape sequences necessary in Python?
Escape sequences are necessary in Python to handle special characters that have a specific meaning within strings. They allow you to include characters like newline, tab, or quotes without causing syntax errors or unexpected behavior in your code.

3. What is the purpose of the "\n" escape sequence in Python?
The "\n" escape sequence in Python is used to represent a newline character. It is commonly used to insert line breaks or start text on a new line within a string.

4. How can you include a backslash character itself in a Python string?
To include a backslash character ("") itself in a Python string, you can use the escape sequence "\". This will represent a single backslash within the string.

5. What is the purpose of the "\t" escape sequence in Python?
The "\t" escape sequence in Python represents a tab character. It is used to insert horizontal tabs or create indentation within strings.

6. Can escape sequences be used with single-quoted strings in Python?
Yes, escape sequences can be used with both single-quoted (”) and double-quoted ("") strings in Python. The syntax for escape sequences remains the same regardless of the type of quotes used.