How To Print Output With Tab Space In Python

In this tutorial, you will learn how to print output with tab space in Python. The tab space is essential when formatting the output for better readability, especially when working with tables and columns.

Step 1: Using Escape Sequences

One of the simplest ways to print output with tab space in Python is by using escape sequences. In this case, you need to use the escape character \t to represent the tab space in your strings.

First, let’s create a simple example of printing a table using tab spaces to separate columns.

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# Display table header
print("Name\tAge\tCity")
 
# Display table data
print("John\t25\tNew York")
print("Jane\t30\tLos Angeles")
print("Jack\t22\tChicago")

Output:

Name	Age	City
John	25	New York
Jane	30	Los Angeles
Jack	22	Chicago

Step 2: Using String Formatting

Python provides string formatting techniques using the format() method. This method allows you to insert tab spaces between the elements.

In the following example, we’ll recreate the previous table using the format() method.

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# Display table header
header = "{0}\t{1}\t{2}"
print(header.format("Name", "Age", "City"))
 
# Display table data
print(header.format("John", 25, "New York"))
print(header.format("Jane", 30, "Los Angeles"))
print(header.format("Jack", 22, "Chicago"))

Output:

Name	Age	City
John	25	New York
Jane	30	Los Angeles
Jack	22	Chicago

Step 3: Using F-strings (Python 3.6+)

F-strings, introduced in Python 3.6, allow you to embed expressions inside string literals. You can print output with tab space using f-strings by incorporating the tab escape character (\t) in the expression.

Let’s recreate the table again using f-strings:

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# Display table header
print(f"{'Name'}\t{'Age'}\t{'City'}")
 
# Display table data
print(f"{'John'}\t{25}\t{'New York'}")
print(f"{'Jane'}\t{30}\t{'Los Angeles'}")
print(f"{'Jack'}\t{22}\t{'Chicago'}")

Output:

Name	Age	City
John	25	New York
Jane	30	Los Angeles
Jack	22	Chicago

Full Code:

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# Escape Sequences
print("Name\tAge\tCity")
print("John\t25\tNew York")
print("Jane\t30\tLos Angeles")
print("Jack\t22\tChicago")
 
# String Formatting
header = "{0}\t{1}\t{2}"
print(header.format("Name", "Age", "City"))
print(header.format("John", 25, "New York"))
print(header.format("Jane", 30, "Los Angeles"))
print(header.format("Jack", 22, "Chicago"))
 
# F-strings
print(f"{'Name'}\t{'Age'}\t{'City'}")
print(f"{'John'}\t{25}\t{'New York'}")
print(f"{'Jane'}\t{30}\t{'Los Angeles'}")
print(f"{'Jack'}\t{22}\t{'Chicago'}")

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you’ve learned various methods to print output with tab space in Python, including using escape sequences, string formatting, and f-strings. These techniques can enhance the readability of your outputs and make it easier to work with tables and columns. Happy coding!