How To Make A Long Comment In Python

In Python, comments are an important part of the code as they help in understanding the purpose and functionality of your program. Long comments are often used to provide detailed explanations or clarify complex sections of code. This tutorial will teach you how to create long comments in Python, known as multiline comments, and when to use them in your code.

Step 1: Understanding Comments in Python

In Python, there are two types of comments:

  1. Single-line comments: These comments are created using the hash symbol ‘#’. Anything following the ‘#’ symbol on the same line is considered a comment and is ignored by the Python interpreter.
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# This is a single-line comment
print("Hello, World!")
  1. Multiline comments: These comments span multiple lines and are used to explain a code block or a complex section of code in detail.

Step 2: Creating Multiline Comments using Triple Quotes

In Python, multiline comments can be created using triple single quotes (”’) or triple double quotes (“””). The comment starts with either ”’ or “”” and ends with the same quotes. The Python interpreter treats everything within these quotes as a comment and does not execute them.

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'''
This is a multiline comment
using triple single quotes
'''
print("Hello, World!")
 
"""
This is a multiline comment
using triple double quotes
"""
print("Hello again!")

Step 3: Combining Single-line Comments

Another way to create long comments in Python is by using multiple single-line comments. This means you can use the hash symbol ‘#’ for each line of your long comment. However, keep in mind that this method may make your code less readable if used excessively.

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# This is the first line of the comment
# This is the second line of the comment
# This is the third line of the comment
print("Hello, World!")

Now that we have learned two ways to create multiline comments in Python, let’s put them all together in a code example.

The Full Code

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# Example of single-line comment
print("This line is not a comment")  # This line contains a single-line comment
 
'''
This is a multiline comment using
triple single quotes. It explains the
functionality of the following print statement.
'''
print("Hello, World!")
 
"""
This is another multiline comment
using triple double quotes. It also
explains the following print statement.
"""
print("Hello again!")
 
# Another way to create a long comment
# is by using multiple single-line comments,
# although not as readable as triple quotes.
print("This is the last print statement.")

Output

This line is not a comment
Hello, World!
Hello again!
This is the last print statement.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you have learned how to create long comments, also known as multiline comments, in Python. The two methods are by using triple quotes (either single or double) and by combining single-line comments.

Long comments are essential for enhancing the readability of your code by providing detailed explanations of your program’s functionality. Remember to utilize long comments effectively to maintain a clean and understandable codebase.