String concatenation in Python means joining two or more strings into one. It’s a fundamental skill you'll use frequently when working with text, output formatting, or user input.

This tutorial explains all the ways you can concatenate strings in Python — with examples, best practices, and useful tips.

What is String Concatenation?

Concatenation simply means adding strings together.

Example:

a = "Hello"
b = "World"
print(a + b)  # Output: HelloWorld

To include a space, manually add it:

print(a + " " + b)  # Output: Hello World

Methods to Concatenate Strings

Python offers several ways to concatenate strings:

➕ 1. Using the + Operator (Most Common)

first = "Python"
second = "Rocks"
result = first + " " + second
print(result)  # Output: Python Rocks

✅ Use this for quick and simple joins.

2. Using += Operator (Appending Strings)

greeting = "Hello"
greeting += " "
greeting += "there!"
print(greeting)  # Output: Hello there!

3. Using join() (Best for Joining Lists)

words = ["Python", "is", "awesome"]
sentence = " ".join(words)
print(sentence)  # Output: Python is awesome

✅ Best practice when concatenating multiple strings (like in a loop).

4. Using f-strings (Formatted String Literals)

name = "Alice"
age = 25
print(f"My name is {name} and I am {age} years old.")
# Output: My name is Alice and I am 25 years old.

✅ Recommended in Python 3.6+ for readability and performance.

5. Using format() Method

language = "Python"
version = 3
print("You are using {} version {}".format(language, version))
# Output: You are using Python version 3

Common Mistake: Mixing Strings with Numbers

You cannot concatenate a string with an integer directly:

age = 25
# print("Age: " + age)  ❌ TypeError

✅ Correct way:

print("Age: " + str(age))             # Using str()
print(f"Age: {age}")                  # Using f-string

Real-World Example

Example: Greeting a User

first_name = "John"
last_name = "Doe"
greeting = "Hello, " + first_name + " " + last_name + "!"
print(greeting)  # Output: Hello, John Doe!

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