When working on complex projects, you may encounter a situation where you need to make decisions based on multiple conditions. That’s one of the first things I got to know as a new QA engineer who later became a Python developer.

This is where the elif statement in Python comes in.

In this article, we’ll explore what the elif statement is, how it works, and when to use it in your code.

I’m going to answer the “Should I Use Elif In Python?” question based on my experience.

Should I Use Elif In Python?

Yes, you should use elif in Python if you need to test multiple conditions and execute code only if one of the conditions is True. elif is a shorthand for else if, and it allows you to chain multiple conditions together without duplicating the if statement.

As I said, the elif statement is a short form for else if and is used to execute a block of code only if the previous if statement returns False.

It is used in conjunction with the if statement and allows you to test multiple conditions and execute different code blocks based on those conditions.

Here’s the syntax of the elif statement in Python:

if condition1:
    # execute code block 1
elif condition2:
    # execute code block 2
...
else:
    # execute code block n

As you can see, the elif statement comes after the if statement and before the else statement.

You can have as many elif statements as you like, depending on the number of conditions you need to test.

🚨 This is a very simple answer to a Should I Use Elif In Python? question. I’ll give you a way more detailed answer based on real Python project examples I’ve gathered over the years in the following sections of this post.

Is Elif Necessary In Python?

The elif statement is an essential component of Python programming that provides developers with a more organized and efficient way of handling multiple conditions.

While it may not be necessary for every situation, its advantages in terms of improved readability, enhanced control flow, and improved performance makes it a valuable tool for you as a Python developer.

You might ask: When is Elif Not Necessary in Python?

In some cases, the elif statement may not be necessary.

For instance, if you only have two conditions, an if-else statement may be more appropriate.

Additionally, in some cases, a simple if statement may be sufficient.

if condition:
    # code block for condition
else:
    # code block for all other conditions

How Do I Do Elif In Python?

By this time you should already understand that the elif statement in Python is a control flow statement that allows you to execute different code blocks based on multiple conditions.

This is especially useful when you want to check multiple conditions in your code and execute specific code blocks based on whether the conditions are met or not.

The syntax of the elif statement in Python is straightforward and easy to understand.

Here’s how it looks:

if condition1:
    # Code to execute if condition1 is True
elif condition2:
    # Code to execute if condition1 is False and condition2 is True
elif condition3:
    # Code to execute if condition1 and condition2 are False and condition3 is True
else:
    # Code to execute if all conditions are False

As you can see, the elif statement has a similar structure to the if statement.

The only difference is that it’s used after the if statement to check multiple conditions.

Now that you understand the syntax of the elif statement, let’s look at how you can use it in your code.

Here are a few examples that demonstrate how the elif statement works in Python.

number = 10

if number < 0:
    print("The number is negative.")
elif number > 0:
    print("The number is positive.")
else:
    print("The number is 0.")

In this example, the code first checks if the number is less than 0.

If it is, it prints "The number is negative." If the first condition is not met, the code moves to the elif statement and checks if the number is greater than 0.

If it is, it prints "The number is positive."

If neither condition is met, the code executes the code block in the else statement and prints "The number is 0."

In this example, we’ll use multiple elif statements to check multiple conditions.

number = 10

if number < 0:
    print("The number is negative.")
elif number > 0 and number < 10:
    print("The number is between 0 and 10.")
elif number >= 10 and number < 20:
    print("The number is between 10 and 20.")
else:
    print("The number is 20 or greater.")

In this example, the code first checks if the number is less than 0.

If it is, it prints "The number is negative."

If the first condition is not met, the code moves to the first elif statement and checks if the number is greater than 0 and less than 10.

If it is, it prints "The number is between 0 and 10."

If this condition is not met, the code moves to the next elif statement and checks if the number is greater than or equal to 10 and less than 20.

If it is, it prints "The number is between 10 and 20."

If all conditions are not met, the code executes the code block in the else statement and prints "The number is 20 or greater."

Can We Use If Instead Of Elif?

Yes, you can use if instead of elif, but only if you only need to test one condition. If you need to test multiple conditions, you should use elif.

Common Misconceptions

One common misconception is that elif is faster than if. However, this is not true. The speed of your code will not be affected by whether you use if or elif.

Another common misconception is that you can only use elif after an if statement. This is also not true. You can use elif anywhere in your code, as long as it is within an if statement.

What Is The Difference Between If And Elif?

The main difference between if and elif is that if can only test one condition, while elif can test multiple conditions. If you only need to test one condition, you can use if, but if you need to test multiple conditions, you should use elif.

When To Use If?

Use if when you need to test a single condition and execute a block of code if the condition is met, for example:

age = 25

if age >= 18:
    print("You are an adult.")

When To Use Elif?

Use elif when you need to test multiple conditions.

elif allows you to test multiple conditions, one after the other, until one is met.

For example:

age = 25
if age < 18:
    print("You are a minor.")
elif age >= 18 and age < 65:
    print("You are an adult.")
else:
    print("You are a senior citizen.")

Why Is It Better To Use Elif Instead Of If?

There are several benefits to using the elif statement instead of the if statement.

More Readable Code

One of the main benefits of using the elif statement is that it makes your code more readable.

When using multiple if statements, it can be difficult to see what each condition is checking for. With the elif statement, you can clearly see the conditions being checked and the corresponding code that is executed.

Better Control Flow

Another benefit of using the elif statement is that it allows for better control flow. When using multiple if statements, it can be difficult to determine the order in which conditions are checked.

With the elif statement, you have more control over the order of the conditions being checked.

More Efficient Code

Finally, using the elif statement can lead to more efficient code. When using multiple if statements, each condition is checked regardless of whether the previous conditions were True or False.

With the elif statement, once a True condition is found, the rest of the conditions are skipped.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why Does Python Use Elif And Not Else If?

In Python, the if-else statement is written as if, elif, and else. The use of elif instead of else if is a design decision made by Guido van Rossum, the creator of Python.

What Is The Difference Between elif And else if?

The main difference between elif and else if is syntax. elif is a single word, whereas else if is two words separated by a space.

This may seem like a minor difference, but it is important to note that Python is a language that values clean, readable code. The use of elif helps to keep the code more concise and readable.

Can You Use elif Twice in Python?

Yes, you can use the elif statement multiple times in a single if statement in Python.

Is There A Limit To elif?

No, there is no limit to the number of elif statements you can use in a single if statement in Python.

You can have as many elif statements as you need to handle different conditions in your code. However, it is recommended to keep the number of conditions and corresponding elif statements manageable, as having too many can make the code difficult to read and maintain.

Can There Be If And elif Without else?

Yes, an if statement in Python can have one or multiple elif statements without an else statement. The else statement is optional, and it is used to specify an action to be executed when none of the conditions in the if and elif statements are met.

If there is no else statement, and none of the conditions are met, no action will be executed.

What Does pass Do In Python if-else?

In Python, the pass statement is used as a placeholder when you need a statement in your code but don’t want it to do anything.

When used in an if statement or elif statement, pass acts as a placeholder and ensures that the code block doesn’t raise an error because it’s empty.

For example, consider the following code:

if condition:
    pass
else:
    # code to be executed

Here, if the condition is True, the pass statement will be executed and nothing will happen.

If the condition is False, the code under the else statement will be executed. In this way, pass acts as a placeholder and allows you to define the logic for the code block at a later time.

Why Is elif Invalid Syntax In Python?

In Python, a code block must contain at least one statement. If an if or elif statement is used without any statements inside the code block, you will get a SyntaxError: invalid syntax error.

For example, consider the following code:

if condition:

elif condition2:

else:
    # code to be executed

Here, both the if and elif statements are empty and don’t contain any statements, which will result in a SyntaxError: invalid syntax error.

To avoid this error, you can use the pass statement as a placeholder inside the code block, like this:

if condition:
    pass
elif condition2:
    pass
else:
    # code to be executed

In this way, the code block will contain a statement and will not raise a SyntaxError: invalid syntax error.

Can We Use elif In Lambda?

No, you cannot use elif statements in a Python lambda function. Lambda functions are single expression functions and don’t support multiple statements or control flow structures like if and elif.

A lambda function is defined using the lambda keyword followed by one or more arguments, a colon, and the expression that is returned. The expression must be a single expression, and you cannot use statements like if and elif.

For example, consider the following lambda function:

lambda x: x + 1

Here, the lambda function takes one argument x and returns x + 1. This lambda function is a valid single expression, but you cannot use elif or any other control flow structure in a lambda function.

If you need to use control flow structures, you can define a regular function using the def keyword, like this:

def my_function(x):
    if x > 0:
        return x + 1
    elif x == 0:
        return x
    else:
        return x - 1

Here, the function my_function takes one argument x and returns a value based on the value of x. The function uses an if statement with elif statements, which is not possible in a lambda function.