Variables and data types are fundamental concepts in programming. In MicroPython, just like in any programming language, variables are used to store data values and data types define the kind of data that can be stored.
In this tutorial, we will explore variables and data types in MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico.
Variables in MicroPython
Variables in MicroPython are used to store data values such as numbers, strings, and boolean values. A variable is simply a named reference to a value.
To create a variable, you simply assign a value to a name using the equals sign (=). For example:
x = 5In this case, the variable x is assigned the value of 5.
You can also assign values to multiple variables at once, like this:
x, y, z = 5, "Hello", True
This assigns the value of 5 to the variable x, the string “Hello” to the variable y, and the boolean value True to the variable z.
Further Explanation
x, y, z = 5, “Hello”, True is a way of assigning values to multiple variables at once in Python. In this case, the values 5, “Hello”, and True are assigned to the variables x, y, and z respectively.
This syntax is known as “tuple unpacking”. The values on the right-hand side of the equals sign are packed into a tuple, which is then unpacked and assigned to the variables on the left-hand side.
Essentially, it’s the same as writing:
my_tuple = (5, "Hello", True)
x = my_tuple[0]
y = my_tuple[1]
z = my_tuple[2]But using tuple unpacking is a more concise and readable way to assign values to multiple variables at once.
Data Types in MicroPython
MicroPython has several built-in data types that define the kind of data that can be stored in a variable. These include:
- Integer: whole numbers, such as 5 or -3.
- Float: decimal numbers, such as 3.14 or -2.5.
- String: a sequence of characters, such as “Hello” or “123”.
- Boolean: a value that is either True or False.
- List: a collection of values, such as [1, 2, 3] or [“apple”, “banana”, “orange”].
- Tuple: a collection of values, like a list, but cannot be modified once created, such as (1, 2, 3) or (“apple”, “banana”, “orange”).
- Dictionary: a collection of key-value pairs, such as {“name”: “John”, “age”: 30}.
To determine the data type of a variable, you can use the type() function, like this:
This will output <class ‘int’>, indicating that x is an integer.
x = 5
print(type(x)) # Output: <class 'int'>
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