Whether you work with small or large datasets in Python, formatting your output can greatly enhance the overall understanding and interpretation of your data.

This is where the Python Tabulate module comes into play. Tabulate allows you to generate professionally formatted tables from your data. In this guide, you’re going to learn about how to import and use the Tabulate module in Python.

Step 1: Install Tabulate

To begin with, we need to install Tabulate. If Tabulate isn’t available on your Python environment, you can install it using pip. Simply run the following command:

Step 2: Import the Module Into Your Project

Once the module is installed, the next step is to import it into your Python project. You can do this using the Python import keyword as shown in the following expression:

Step 3: Create Your Data

Afterward, you need to set up some data that you want to tabulate. Let’s use a simple example of a list of lists:

Step 4: Use the Tabulate Module to Format Your Data

With your data ready, you can now use the tabulate() function to format it. Suppose you want to format your data into a plain table. Here’s how you can achieve this:

The tabulate() function accepts various parameters. The headers parameter controls the headers. Here we use “firstrow” to indicate our first row in data should serve as the headings.

Full Code

Here is the full Python code that we’ve used in this guide :

Output

Name           Age  City
John Doe        28  New York
Jane Doe        26  San Francisco
Mike Jordan     45  Chicago

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Python Tabulate module is a powerful tool that allows you to present data in a more organized, tabulated manner. It offers you control over the data structure and aesthetics to suit your project’s needs. The best way to master it is by practicing and experimenting with different datasets and table formats.