28 Mar What Are The Differences Between Python 2 And Python 3?
Python 2 and Python 3 are two major versions of the Python programming language. Although Python 2.x is still in use in some legacy systems, Python 3.x has become the standard and is recommended for all new Python development. There are several key differences between Python 2 and Python 3, which we will discuss in this article.
- Syntax
One of the most significant differences between Python 2 and Python 3 is the syntax. Python 3 has some syntax changes that make it different from Python 2. For example, the print statement in Python 2 is replaced by the print function in Python 3. In Python 2, you can print multiple items using commas, but in Python 3, you have to use the print function with the format method.
Python 2:
print "Hello, World!"
print "Hello,", "World!"
Python 3:
print("Hello, World!")
print("Hello, {0}!".format("World"))
Unicode
Another significant difference between Python 2 and Python 3 is how they handle Unicode. Python 2 uses ASCII encoding by default, and developers have to use special characters to handle Unicode. In contrast, Python 3 uses Unicode by default, making it easier to handle non-ASCII characters.
Python 2:
print u"ö"
ö
Python 3:
print("ö")
ö
Division
In Python 2, the division operator (/) behaves differently when applied to integers and floats. If you divide two integers, you get an integer as a result. In Python 3, the division operator (/) always returns a float, even if you divide two integers.
Python 2:
print 3/2
1
Python 3:
print(3/2)
1.5
xrange vs range
In Python 2, the range function returns a list of integers. If you need to generate a large sequence of numbers, you can use the xrange function, which returns an iterator. In Python 3, the xrange function is removed, and the range function behaves like the xrange function in Python 2.
Python 2:
for i in xrange(10):
print i
Python 3:
for i in range(10):
print(i)
Exception handling
Python 3 has made some changes to exception handling syntax. In Python 2, you can catch exceptions using the following syntax:
Python 2:
try:
# Some code
except Exception, e:
# Handle the exception
In Python 3, you need to use the following syntax:
Python 3:
try:
# Some code
except Exception as e:
# Handle the exception
Conclusion
In conclusion, Python 2 and Python 3 are two major versions of the Python programming language. Python 3 has several key differences from Python 2, including changes to the syntax, handling of Unicode, division operator, range function, and exception handling. Although Python 2 is still in use in some legacy systems, Python 3 has become the standard and is recommended for all new Python development. It’s important for developers to be aware of these differences when working with Python to ensure they are using the correct syntax and features for their version of Python.
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