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Python’s built-in input() function displays an optional prompt, reads one line of input, and returns the response as a string. Use the string directly for text, or convert it with int() or float() before doing numeric calculations.
What does input() do in Python?
input() reads a line from the program’s input stream. If you give it a prompt, Python writes that prompt to standard output without adding a newline first. After reading the line, it removes the trailing newline and returns the remaining text as a string. Because it is a built-in function, you do not need to import it. See the Python 3.12 built-in functions reference.
Display a prompt and read text
Assign the returned string to a variable, then use it as text:
name = input("What is your name? ")
print(f"Hello, {name}!")The prompt’s trailing space is intentional: it leaves a gap between the question and the response the user types. The function waits for a line of input; pressing Enter submits that line.
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Why does input() return a string?
The function returns the characters the user entered as text. It does not infer whether those characters represent a number, a date, or another kind of value. For example, if the user types 42, the result is the string "42", not the integer 42. You can display or join that text, but you must convert it before doing arithmetic.
How do you convert input to a number?
Choose a conversion that matches the kind of value your program needs. The built-in functions reference documents int() and numeric string conversion.
| Conversion | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
int() |
Whole-number values | int("42") returns 42 |
float() |
Values that may include a decimal fraction | float("3.5") returns 3.5 |
Convert a response to an integer
Read the response, convert it, and then perform the calculation:
age_text = input("How old are you? ")
age = int(age_text)
print(f"Next year you will be {age + 1}.")For a decimal value, use float() instead:
price_text = input("Enter a price: ")
price = float(price_text)
print(price + 1.0)Handle text that cannot be converted
If the response is not in a format the conversion accepts, int() or float() raises a conversion error. For a user-facing program, catch that error and explain the expected input format rather than letting the program stop with an unhandled traceback:
age_text = input("How old are you? ")
try:
age = int(age_text)
except ValueError:
print("Enter your age as a whole number.")
else:
print(f"Next year you will be {age + 1}.")What does EOFError mean with input()?
input() raises EOFError when the input stream reaches its end before a line can be read. This may happen in a noninteractive run when no input is supplied. Python documents the exception in its built-in exceptions reference.
If end-of-file is an expected possibility in your program, catch the exception and decide how to proceed—for example, display a message or exit cleanly:
Quick Recap
try:
name = input("What is your name? ")
except EOFError:
print("No input was available.")
else:
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