How to Use Python print() Function: A Beginner’s Guide 2025

What is the print() Function in Python?

The Python print() function is one of the most fundamental functions that every beginner should learn. It allows you to display output in the console, making it essential for debugging and interacting with your program. Whether you’re printing simple text, variables, or complex outputs, the print() function is your go-to tool for getting insights into your code execution.

Why Use the Python print() Function?

The print() function is a built-in function (so you don’t need to import it from anywhere) in Python that outputs text or other data types to the console. The primary purpose of print() is to help developers understand what their code is doing by displaying messages, values of variables, and debugging information. Here are some key advantages:

1. Easy Debugging: By printing intermediate results, you can quickly identify errors in your code and also current values assigned into variables.
2. User Interaction: You can use print() to display messages for users when running scripts.
3. Code Understanding: Helps visualize program execution by showing variable values and flow control outputs.
4. Testing Outputs: Ensures that functions and logic are producing expected results.

How Does the Python print() Function Work?

The print() function follows a simple syntax:

print(object, ..., sep=' ', end='\n', file=sys.stdout, flush=False)

• object: The value or text you want to display.
• sep: Specifies a separator between multiple objects (default is a space).
• end: Defines what to print at the end (default is a newline \n).
• file: Specifies where to output the text (default is the console).
• flush: If True, forces immediate output (useful for real-time logs).

Example Usage

If you haven’t setup Python in your machine yet, this article has the step by step guide on How to Set Up PyCharm IDE for Python Development (Beginner’s Guide) : 2025.

Printing a Simple Message

print("Hello, world!")

Output:

Hello World!

Printing Multiple Variable Values

name = "Alice"
age = 25
print("Name:", name, "Age:", age)

Output:

Name: Alice Age:25

Printing Multiple Variable Values using commas

print("Hello", "Python", "Learners!")

Output:

Hello Python Learners!

Using Custom Separators

print("Python", "Java", "C++", sep=", ")

Output:

Python, Java, C++

Using a Custom End Character

print("Hello", end=" ")
print("World!")

Output:

Hello World!

String Formatting in print()

Python provides multiple ways to format strings in print():

Using f-strings (Python 3.6+)

name = "Alice"
age = 25
print(f"My name is {name} and I am {age} years old.")

Output:

My name is Alice and I am 25 years old.

Using .format() Method

print("My name is {} and I am {} years old.".format(name, age))

Output:

My name is Alice and I am 25 years old.

Printing Different Data Types

The print() function can handle different data types:

print(42)         # Integer
print(3.14)       # Float
print(True)       # Boolean
print([1, 2, 3])  # List
print((4, 5, 6))  # Tuple
print({"name": "Alice", "age": 25})  # Dictionary

Printing Special Characters

You can print special characters using escape sequences:

print("Hello\nWorld")  # Newline
print("Tab\tSpace")  # Tab
print("Backslash\\")  # Backslash
print("\"Double Quotes\"")  # Double Quotes

Printing to a File

You can redirect print() output to a file:

with open("output.txt", "w") as file:
    print("Hello, file!", file=file)

This writes Hello, file! to output.txt instead of the console.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Forgetting to Use Quotes for Strings

Incorrect:

print(Hello World!)

Correct:

print("Hello World!")

2. Missing Parentheses (Python 3 Requirement)

Incorrect (Python 3):

print "Hello World!"

Correct:

print("Hello World!")

3. Forgetting to Close Parentheses

Incorrect:

print("Hello World!"

Correct:

print("Hello World!")

Python print() Best Practices

1. Use Descriptive Messages – Instead of printing just values, add context. print("The sum of x and y is:", x + y)
2. Use f-strings for Readability (Python 3.6+) name = "Alice" age = 25 print(f"Name: {name}, Age: {age}")
3. Minimize Debugging Prints in Production Code – Replace with logging where appropriate.
4. Use print() for Quick Testing and Learning – But transition to logging for large projects.

Conclusion

The print() function is a simple yet powerful tool that helps beginners understand and debug Python programs. By mastering its usage and avoiding common mistakes, you’ll be able to write clear and effective code. Keep experimenting with different parameters, and you’ll soon become comfortable using print() to display information efficiently!

Happy coding! 🚀

Reference Articles

Here are the articles, and videos I used to learn about print().

• Your Guide to the Python print() Function
• Python input and output