Variables and data types

A variable is a named container for a value. In Python, you create one just by assigning to it -- no special keyword needed:

name = "Ada"
age = 28
height_m = 1.68
is_learning = True

Python has a few core built-in types you'll use constantly:

• str -- text, written in quotes: "hello"
• int -- whole numbers: 42
• float -- decimal numbers: 3.14
• bool -- True or False

You can check any value's type with the built-in type() function:

>>> type(age)
<class 'int'>

Python figures out the type automatically -- you never declare it up front. This is different from languages like Java or C#, and it's part of why Python code tends to look shorter.