Exploring the Versatile Uses of 'Else' in Python Programming
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Chapter 1: Understanding the Basics of 'Else'
In addition to the traditional if-else statement, the 'else' keyword in Python can be used in three other scenarios: within for loops, while loops, and try-except blocks.
1) The Classic If-Else Statement
fruit = 'orange'
if fruit == 'apple':
print('apple juice')
else:
print('not apple')
In this example, the code within the if block executes if the condition evaluates to True, while the else block runs if the condition is False.
2) Utilizing For-Else
for i in range(5):
# perform actions
else:
print('this runs if break DOES NOT occur in the above for loop')
The else block associated with a for loop executes only if the break statement is not triggered within that loop. For instance:
for i in range(5):
print(i)
if i == 2:
break
else:
print('else block runs')
In this case, the loop generates numbers from 0 to 4, but since the loop breaks when i equals 2, the else block does not execute.
Conversely, consider the following:
for i in range(5):
print(i)
if i == 100:
break
else:
print('else block runs')
Here, since the break condition never occurs, the else block executes.
3) The While-Else Structure
while condition:
# perform actions
else:
print('else block runs if break DOES NOT occur in while loop')
This behaves similarly to the for-else statement. If a break occurs, the else block does not run; if not, it does.
4) Try-Else Mechanism
try:
# perform actions
except Exception as e:
print(e)
else:
print('else block runs if except block DOES NOT execute')
In this structure, if the code in the try block raises an exception, the except block runs, and the else block does not. For example:
try:
x = 1 / 0
except Exception as e:
print('except block runs ->', e)
else:
print('else block runs')
Here, the ZeroDivisionError in the try block triggers the except block, preventing the else block from executing.
Conversely:
try:
x = 1 / 1
except Exception as e:
print('except block runs ->', e)
else:
print('else block runs')
In this scenario, since no exception occurs, the else block executes as expected.
Conclusion
I trust this explanation has been enlightening regarding the various uses of the 'else' statement in Python.
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The first video titled "How to Use If Else Statements in Python" offers a comprehensive tutorial on employing if-else statements effectively in Python programming.
The second video, "If Else Statements in Python | Python for Beginners," provides insights tailored for beginners, helping them grasp the concept of if-else statements.