Python Comments¶

What is a Comment¶

• A comment can be defined as human-readable documentation" is grammatically correct and does not require any further edits.
• To write a comment, start a new line with the # character.
• Anything that follows the # for the rest of the line is part of the comment.
• Single line comments are typically used before or next to code to provide context or explanations for the code.
• A comment should be concise and easily comprehensible.

In [1]:

students = 10  # number of students at the data armory
students

students = 10 # number of students at the data armory students

Out[1]:

10

• A comment is not an executable code.

In [2]:

# Comments are not executable - This line will be ignored

print("The  data armory")

# Comments are not executable - This line will be ignored print("The data armory")

The  data armory

In [3]:

# Should not be within a string
new_students = "Welcome to the data armory"
new_students

# Should not be within a string new_students = "Welcome to the data armory" new_students

Out[3]:

'Welcome to the data armory'

• It is important to add notes to your code and within your programs;

  This is helpful for defining the purpose of your code or explaining specific sections of your code, especially when:

  1. Your code is longer and complex.
  2. It is essential to keep in mind the purpose of your code, such as the reason for using a particular function, especially when you experience memory lapses.
  3. Meaningful comments will help others understand your code.
  4. As a professional programmer you need meaningful code considering that you will collaborate with others.
  5. It is easy to delete comments than to go back to comment your code.

  
  

• Commenting out is when you put the # when trying to find out what is wrong in a program.

In [4]:

x = 10
y = 50
z = 25

total = x + y + z
total

x = 10 y = 50 z = 25 total = x + y + z total

Out[4]:

85

In [5]:

# Getting the sum of variables
# Use a different variable to print the results

y = 20
x = 10
w = 10

total = y + x + w
total

# Getting the sum of variables # Use a different variable to print the results y = 20 x = 10 w = 10 total = y + x + w total

Out[5]:

40

• Blank lines after the comment are also ignored.

In [6]:

# Getting the sum of values

y = 20
x = 10

total = y + x
total

# Getting the sum of values y = 20 x = 10 total = y + x total

Out[6]:

30

• The various methods for writing a comment are:

    * Placing it before the line of code
    * Writing it next to the line of code
    * Using a comment block (multiline comment)

Multiline Comments¶

In [7]:

# Multiline Strings for commenting


welcome_message = """ Welcome to the
data armory
for python and 
data science tutorials"""

# Multiline Strings for commenting


welcome_message = """ Welcome to the
data armory
for python and 
data science tutorials"""

# Multiline Strings for commenting


welcome_message = """ Welcome to the
data armory
for python and 
data science tutorials"""

welcome_message

# Multiline Strings for commenting welcome_message = """ Welcome to the data armory for python and data science tutorials""" # Multiline Strings for commenting welcome_message = """ Welcome to the data armory for python and data science tutorials""" # Multiline Strings for commenting welcome_message = """ Welcome to the data armory for python and data science tutorials""" welcome_message

Out[7]:

' Welcome to the\ndata armory\nfor python and \ndata science tutorials'

• Remember to place your comments either above or below the triple-quoted text, multiline comments, or block string, which are valid Python code.

In [8]:

""" In the university, freshman year  #refers to a first year student

 sophomore  refers  to a second year students

 Welcome to the data armory 
 
 """
# Multiline comment

""" In the university, freshman year #refers to a first year student sophomore refers to a second year students Welcome to the data armory """ # Multiline comment

Out[8]:

' In the university, freshman year  #refers to a first year student\n\n sophomore  refers  to a second year students\n\n Welcome to the data armory \n \n '

Reference and Further Reading¶

• Automate the boring stuff by Al Sweigart-https://www.amazon.com/Automate-Boring-Stuff-Python-Programming/dp/1593275994
• Python Crash Course By Eric Matthes - https://www.amazon.com/Python-Crash-Course-2nd-Edition/dp/1593279280/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ANKISKNQPNKH&keywords=Python+Crash+Course+By+Eric+Matthes&qid=1654606797&s=books&sprefix=%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C1078&sr=1-1
• Ravikiran AS "Comments in Python: Why are They Important And How to Use Them" https://www.simplilearn.com/tutorials/python-tutorial/comments-in-python#:~:text=Comments%20in%20Python%20are%20identified,a%20multi%2Dline%20comment%20block.
• Ihechikara Vincent Abba "Python Comment Block – How to Comment Out Code in Python" https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/python-comment-block-how-to-comment-out-code-in-python/