Python sqlite - quotes usage in execute() method

Question

While reading through python sqlite3 DB-API, the first example of creating table uses thee single quotes:

c.execute('''CREATE TABLE stocks
             (date text, trans text, symbol text, qty real, price real)''')

But in other examples there are double quotes:

cur.execute("create table people (name_last, age)")

So I've got 2 questions:

It this really any difference? How can it affect create table command?
Which one is better to use with parameters? ex.:

c.execute('''CREATE TABLE %s(date text, trans text, symbol text, qty real, price real)''' % table_name)

VS.

 cur.execute("create table %s (name_last, age)" % table_name)

Thanks

rfkortekaas · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-27 11:42:41Z

3

There is basically no rule for double or single quotes.

But three consecutive quotes start multiline quoted values.

answered Dec 27, 2015 at 11:42

rfkortekaas

6,6162 gold badges32 silver badges40 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

Ramakrishnan G · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-27 11:56:40Z

1

Is this really any difference? How can it affect create table command?

Using single/double quoted string or a triple-quoted string doesn't affect the create command in any way. They are ultimately just string arguments to the create command.

Which one is better to use with parameters?

Double quotes are the norm in most of the python programs. Triple quotes are used mostly when you have a big multi-line string copy-pasted from somewhere else and you want to embed them in your program. In the link that you gave above, we can see one such example in the usage in cursor.executescript(), where an sql script (which probably existed before) is used within the program.

answered Dec 27, 2015 at 11:56

Ramakrishnan G

686 bronze badges

Comments

Louis Barranqueiro · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-27 11:54:07Z

1

using three """ is like commenting out a line

#this text python doesn't read so you can write about your code

"""it allows
you to type
over multiple
lines."""

Also you can use " or ' python see them both the same as long as you close with the same style.

edited Dec 27, 2015 at 11:54

Louis Barranqueiro

10.3k6 gold badges44 silver badges54 bronze badges

answered Dec 27, 2015 at 11:41

Warmee

112 bronze badges

2 Comments

rfkortekaas Over a year ago

Three quotes can also be used for multiline comments. But you cannot say three quotes is always a comment!

Harsh Over a year ago

@Warmee Just for the record, these are docstrings. They aren't exactly comments, they are used when the documentation is created automatically. I'd refrain from even suggesting their usage as comments.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Python sqlite - quotes usage in execute() method

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related