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What is code formatting?

Writing clean, consistent code is important. Code formatting means organizing your code so it’s easy to read and follows Python’s style guidelines.

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Basic formatting principles

Follow these basic rules for readability:

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Indentation

Use 4 spaces for indentation (not tabs): 
def greet(name):
    if name:
        print(f"Hello, {name}!")
    else:
        print("Hello!")

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Spacing

Add spaces around operators and after commas: 
# Good
x = 1 + 2
numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4]

# Bad
x=1+2
numbers=[1,2,3,4]

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Blank lines

Use blank lines to separate functions and logical sections: 
def first_function():
    pass


def second_function():
    pass

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Line length

Keep lines under 80-100 characters. Break long lines for readability: 
# Good - readable
long_string = (
    "This is a very long string that "
    "spans multiple lines for readability"
)

# Bad - too long
long_string = "This is a very long string that spans multiple lines for readability but keeps going and going"
Later in the course, you’ll learn about Ruff - a tool that automatically formats your code. But understanding these basics first helps you write better code naturally.

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Automatic formatting with Ruff

Want to format your code automatically? Check out the Ruff guide in the tools section:

Code quality with Ruff

Automatically format and lint your code

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What’s next?

Now that you understand formatting, let’s learn about variables!

Variables

Learn how to store and use data in Python