Python sep (sep=) parameter in print() with examples

Using the value given to the "sep" parameter in print(), you can separate more than one parameter. For example, the following Python code

print("s", "e", "p")

produces the following output:

As you can see from the above output, there is a single space inserted automatically between each parameter (that is, "s,"  "e,"  and "p"). But using the "sep" parameter, we can remove the default behavior of print() and insert an automatic space between each of its parameters. Here is the modified version of the previous program:

print("s", "e", "p", sep="")

Now, the output of this program will be:

Important: The "sep=" parameter must be placed as the last parameter of print().

Use of the sep parameter

The use of the sep parameter is not limited to only removing automatically inserted spaces between all parameters of print(). But it can also be used to insert any required character or combination of characters between all parameters, as shown in the program given below:

print("My Computer", "C Drive", "Program Files", sep=" -> ")

This program produces the output as shown in the snapshot given below:

Use of the escape sequence using the sep parameter

You can also use escape sequence characters using the sep parameter in print(). To illustrate it, first let's take an example without assigning an escape sequence to sep. Here is the program:

print("s ", "e ", "p", sep="")

The above program produces:

Now let's create the same program with an escape sequence character, say "\b" (the backslash character), assigned to sep, created after modifying the above program:

print("s ", "e ", "p", sep="\b")

This time, the program produces the following output:

Note: These are some demo programs showing you the use of sep. Or how this parameter plays an important role sometimes when you need these types of outputs.

You can also format the date or anything you need using the sep parameter in the required way, like shown in the demo program given below:

print("01", "09", "2021", sep="-")

This program produces the following output:

01-09-2021

Advantages of the sep in Python

• Customization: The "sep" parameter lets you customize the separator between printed values. You can change the separator from space to any character or string.
• Flexibility: The "sep" parameter is very flexible and can print multiple values with different separators. This helps format data for printing.
• Readability: By separating values with a character or string, the "sep" parameter makes output more readable. This simplifies program output parsing.

Disadvantages of the sep in Python

• Python 3.x and later support the "sep" parameter. This parameter won't work in older Python versions.
• Complexity: The "sep" parameter can complicate code if you're unfamiliar with it. To get the desired result, you must know how to use it.
• Maintenance: If you change your output format, remember to update your "sep" parameter. Maintenance can be difficult, especially in larger projects.

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