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Conditionals: if/elif/else

if, elif and else let the program choose between branches based on conditions. Python checks the branches in order and runs only the first one that is true. Chained comparisons like 5 < x < 10 work directly.

\text{if } P_1: \ldots \text{elif } P_2: \ldots \text{else}: \ldots

the first true

P_i

decides which branch runs

Symbols

P_1,\ P_2

conditions checked in order

Example

x = 18

if x < 4: ... elif x < 7: ... else: print("C")

Since $18 \not< 4$ and $18 \not< 7$ , "C" is printed.

elif is only checked if all earlier conditions were false — order matters.

Practise loops and conditions for free →

← while loop · break and continue →

Part of Programming with Python: Loops and conditions.