What are Data Types in Python?

In Python, data types define the kind of data a variable can hold. Understanding the various data types is essential for writing efficient and error-free code. Python supports several built-in data types, each serving a specific purpose. Here are the primary categories:

1. Numeric Types

• int: Represents integers (whole numbers) without decimal points. Example: 5, -42, 1000.
• float: Represents floating-point numbers (decimals). Example: 3.14, -0.001, 2.0.
• complex: Represents complex numbers with a real and imaginary part. Example: 2 + 3j, -1 + 4j.

2. Sequence Types

• list: An ordered, mutable collection of elements. Lists can hold elements of different data types. Example: [1, 2.5, "hello"].
• tuple: Similar to a list, but immutable (cannot be changed after creation). Example: (1, 2, 3).
• range: Represents a sequence of numbers, commonly used in loops. Example: range(0, 5).

3. Text Type

• str: Represents strings (sequences of characters). Strings are immutable in Python. Example: "hello", 'Python'.

4. Mapping Type

• dict: A collection of key-value pairs. Keys are unique, and values can be any data type. Example: {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}.

5. Set Types

• set: An unordered collection of unique elements. Example: {1, 2, 3}.
• frozenset: Like a set, but immutable. Example: frozenset([1, 2, 3]).

6. Boolean Type

• bool: Represents a Boolean value, either True or False. Example: True, False.

7. Binary Types

• bytes: Immutable sequence of bytes. Example: b'hello'.
• bytearray: Mutable sequence of bytes. Example: bytearray([65, 66, 67]).
• memoryview: A view object that exposes an array’s buffer interface.

Each of these data types is integral to writing Python programs, as they allow for efficient storage, manipulation, and retrieval of data.