How to check if the value of a string variable is a number?

In this article, we’ll learn how to check if the value of a string variable is a number with Python, in very simple and quick ways.

What’s up programmer, okay? Let’s learn more about Python!

We have a method in Python that checks whether strings are a digit, but it only works with positive integers.

The method is “isdigit”, it will return True or False if the string is an integer, take a look:

a = 'test'
b = '12'
c = 'we have number 1 here'
print(a.isdigit())
print(b.isdigit())
print(c.isdigit())

Here we see the method being used, see the outputs:

False
True
False

Note that it will only return True if the string is really just a number.

In other cases, False is returned.

We can also make a function to handle this case, and cover the floats (broken numbers), see:

d = '12.28'
e = 'test'

def isNumber(n):
 try:
  float(n)
 except ValueError:
  return False
 return True

print(isNumber(d))
print(isNumber(e))

Here we will have more flexibility regarding the inputs, see the output of this code:

True
False

You just have to choose who has the most applicability in your business rule

And if I could indicate you any way, I would take the first one

Since it is a native Python alternative and it will definitely give you better performance than our function with try

Always choose alternatives for the language you are using and always look for native functions for what you are trying to do, there must be something already created or similar

Conclusion

In this article, we learned how to check if the value of a string variable is number

In a simpler way with “isdigit”, but it doesn’t cover floats

And another through a function that handles any type of input, returning values for floating points as well

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