Understanding Python Data Types

Data types are essential in programming as they classify or categorize data items. Here's a look at Python's built-in data types:

Scalar Types

int: Positive or negative whole numbers (without a fractional part), e.g., -10, 10, 456, 4654654.
float: Real numbers with a floating-point representation, including fractional components, e.g., 1.23, 3.4556789e2.
complex: Numbers with real and imaginary components, represented as x + 2y.
bool: Boolean values True or False (note the capitalization).
None: Represents the null object, often returned by functions that don't explicitly return a value.

Sequence Types

Sequences are ordered collections of data. Python offers several built-in sequence types:

String: A collection of characters enclosed in quotes, either single, double, or triple.
List: An ordered collection of data items, potentially of varying types, enclosed in square brackets.
Tuple: Similar to lists, but enclosed in parentheses and immutable.

Mapping Type

Dictionary: An unordered set of key:value pairs, enclosed in curly brackets, e.g., {1:"Steve", 2:"Bill"}.

Set Types

set: A mutable, unordered collection of distinct hashable items, supporting operations like union and intersection.
frozenset: An immutable version of a set, with elements drawn from other iterables.

Mutable and Immutable Types

Data objects are stored in a computer's memory. Some can be modified during processing (mutable), while others cannot be altered once created (immutable).

Immutable: Numbers, Strings, and Tuples cannot change their content after creation.
Mutable: Lists and Dictionaries can be modified — items can be added, deleted, or rearranged.