Python String Operations: Just Like Math, But for Text!

Remember Mathematical Operations?

In our previous lesson, we learned about mathematical operations for numbers:

• Addition: 5 + 3 = 8
• Subtraction: 10 - 4 = 6
• Multiplication: 6 × 7 = 42
• Division: 15 ÷ 3 = 5

Numbers had their own set of operations that made sense for mathematical calculations.

Similarly, Strings Have Their Own Operations!

Just like numbers have mathematical operations, strings (text) have their own set of operations that are perfect for text manipulation!

The Plus (+) Operator: Text concatenation

first_name = "Raj"                                    #store Names in Variables
last_name = "Kumar"
# Join strings with operator +
full_name = first_name + " " + last_name             # add the strings one after one
print(full_name)  # Output: Raj Kumar

String Multiplication (*): Repeat Text

#Note : This operation must be between a String and Int data-types
laugh = "Ha" * 3
print(laugh)  # Output: HaHaHa
line = "-" * 10
print(line)  # Output: ----------

Use +  to join strings and * to repeat them.

But here's the amazing part: Python gives us hundreds of string operations compared to the very limited things we can do with real-world text. But before we explore these powerful methods, let's first understand how to create strings in different ways

Real world: Want to change "hello" to "HELLO"? Erase and rewrite everything!
Programming: Just use one simple command - instant transformation!

How to Create Strings in Python

There are different ways to create strings in Python, each with its own purpose:

Example Usage:

simple_name = 'Rahul'                             #Single Quotes
message_with_quotes = "He said 'Hello' to me"     #Double Quotes
 
# Multiline String with triple quotes
long_text = """This is a long message
that spans multiple lines
perfect for paragraphs"""

Formatted Strings: Your Text Template Magic

Imagine you have a birthday card template where you can write any name in a blank space. F-strings work exactly like this - you create a text template with blank spots {}, and Python fills them in with your data automatically with the variables!

# Regular string (static text)
message = "Hello World"
# change the regular string (dynamic text with variables) by using f-string
name = "Rahul"
f_message = f"Hello {name}"  # Notice the 'f' in front!
print(f_message)  # Output: Hello Rahul

#you dont need to use comma inbetween 

Key Syntax Points:

• The 'f' Prefix is Everything:

• Curly Braces {} are Your Blanks

String Operations - The Programming Superpowers

Text in real life gets messy—names have extra spaces, CSVs split data. Python makes it easy to fix with special string methods. Here are the most useful string methods organized by what they do: