String formatting: % vs. .format vs. string literal

Question

Python 2.6 introduced the str.format() method with a slightly different syntax from the existing % operator. Which is better and for what situations?

Pyt

Answer 1

I would add that since version 3.6, we can use fstrings like the following

foo = "john"
bar = "smith"
print(f"My name is {foo} {bar}")

Which give

My name is john smith

Everything is converted to strings

mylist = ["foo", "bar"]
print(f"mylist = {mylist}")

Result:

mylist = ['foo', 'bar']

you can pass function, like in others formats method

print(f'Hello, here is the date : {time.strftime("%d/%m/%Y")}')

Giving for example

Hello, here is the date : 16/04/2018