LM if, elif and else

The else statement in Python is used to define a block of code that will execute if none of the preceding if or elif conditions are True. It acts as a default case and ensures that your program can respond appropriately even when no specific conditions match.

🔍 Why use else?

Without else, your program simply does nothing if no condition is True. This can lead to silent errors or unexpected behavior if you forget to handle certain cases.

With else, you can define a fallback behavior – something that always runs when all other options have failed.

⚖️ if - elif - elif vs. if - elif - else

You can technically use multiple elif statements to cover various specific conditions. However, if you want to make sure that “something” always happens, even when all other checks fail, else is the right choice.

Here’s the difference:

âś… Using only if - elif - elif

x = 50

if x > 100:
    print("x is large")
elif x > 70:
    print("x is medium-large")
elif x > 40:
    print("x is medium")
# If x <= 40, nothing happens!

In this case, if x is 40 or less, the program just skips all conditions and prints nothing.

âś… Using if - elif - else

x = 50

if x > 100:
    print("x is large")
elif x > 70:
    print("x is medium-large")
else:
    print("x is small or medium")

Now, the else ensures that something is printed no matter what.

đź’ˇ How else Works

An else statement is typically placed at the end of an if-elif chain:

  • Python checks the if condition first. If it’s True, the if block runs, and all other conditions are skipped.
  • If the if condition is False, Python checks each elif in order.
  • If none of the conditions match, the else block runs.

🧪 Examples of else Usage

Example 1

a = 15.0

if a > 20:
    print("a is larger than 20")
elif a < 20:
    print("a is smaller than 20")
else:
    print("a is exactly 20")

Example 2

temperature = 0

if temperature > 30:
    print("It's a hot day.")
elif temperature > 20:
    print("It's a nice day.")
elif temperature > 10:
    print("It's a bit chilly.")
else:
    print("It's cold outside.")

Example 3: Only if and else

a = 15.0
b = 20.0

if a < b:
    print("a is smaller than b")
else:
    print("a is not smaller than b")

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