Python 3.8

Python 3.8:

Python 3.8 is a version of the Python programming language released on October 14, 2019. It introduced several new features and optimizations compared to its predecessor, Python 3.7.

Some of the notable features in Python 3.8 include:

Assignment Expressions (the Walrus operator): Python 3.8 introduced the “:=” operator, which allows you to assign values to variables as part of an expression. It’s called the Walrus operator because it looks like the eyes and tusks of a walrus, “:=”. For example:

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# Example of assignment expression

if (n := len(my_list)) > 10:

   print(f”List is too long ({n} elements, expected <= 10)”)

Positional-Only Parameters: Python 3.8 introduced the ability to specify function parameters as positional-only. It means that the parameters can only be passed positionally and cannot be specified as keyword arguments. This allows the function designers to enforce certain behaviors and improve the clarity of the API.

f-strings support equal signs: Python 3.8 allowed the usage of the equal sign “=” in f-strings, allowing better alignment and formatting.

For example:

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name = “Alice”

age = 25

print(f”{name=} and {age=}”)

Output:

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name=’Alice’ and age=25

Syntax Warnings and Deprecations: Python 3.8 added new syntax warnings for features that are deprecated or will be deprecated in future versions. These warnings help developers identify and update their code to maintain compatibility with upcoming Python releases.

These are just a few examples of the new features introduced in Python 3.8. There were also various performance improvements and optimizations in the Python interpreter.