A Quick Note on Python Booleans

In programming, you often need to know if an expression is True or False. In Python, the bool data type represents one of two values: True or False. These are used to control the flow of your program in conditional statements and loops.

Boolean Values

There are only two boolean values: True and False. Note that they are case-sensitive.

is_active = True
is_admin = False

print(type(is_active))  # <class 'bool'>

Booleans in Expressions

Booleans are often the result of comparison operations.

print(10 > 9)   # True
print(10 == 9)  # False
print(10 < 9)   # False

They are also used with logical operators (and, or, not) to create more complex conditions.

x = 10
y = 5

print(x > 5 and y < 10)  # True
print(x > 10 or y < 10)  # True
print(not(x > 5 and y < 10)) # False

The bool() Function

You can use the bool() function to evaluate any value and get True or False in return.

• Most values are evaluated to True if they have some sort of content.
• Any string is True, except empty strings.
• Any number is True, except 0.
• Any list, tuple, set, and dictionary are True, except empty ones.

print(bool("Hello"))  # True
print(bool(15))      # True
print(bool([]))        # False
print(bool(0))         # False

Conclusion

Booleans are a fundamental concept in Python and programming in general. They are essential for controlling the logic and flow of your code. By understanding how True and False work, you can write more intelligent and responsive programs.