Write vs. Writelines

Attribute	Write	Writelines
Usage	Used to write a string to a file	Used to write a list of strings to a file
Input	Accepts a single string as input	Accepts a list of strings as input
Output	Writes the string directly to the file	Writes each string in the list to the file
Formatting	Does not add newline characters by default	Adds newline characters after each string by default

Introduction

When working with files in Python, thewrite() andwritelines() methods are commonly used to write data to a file. While both methods serve a similar purpose, there are some key differences between them that developers should be aware of. In this article, we will compare the attributes ofwrite() andwritelines() to help you understand when to use each method.

Write Method

Thewrite() method in Python is used to write a string to a file. When you callwrite(), you pass in a string as an argument, and that string is written to the file. If the file does not exist, it will be created. If the file already exists, the content will be overwritten with the new string. It is important to note that thewrite() method does not automatically add a newline character at the end of the string, so you will need to manually add it if needed.

One of the advantages of using thewrite() method is that it gives you more control over the content that is written to the file. You can write any string to the file, including special characters and formatting. This makeswrite() a versatile method for writing data to a file in Python. However, because you need to manually add newline characters, it can be more cumbersome to use when writing multiple lines of text.

Writelines Method

Thewritelines() method in Python is used to write a list of strings to a file. When you callwritelines(), you pass in a list of strings as an argument, and each string in the list is written to the file. Similar towrite(), if the file does not exist, it will be created, and if it already exists, the content will be overwritten.

One of the main advantages of using thewritelines() method is that it automatically adds a newline character at the end of each string in the list. This can be useful when you are writing multiple lines of text to a file and want each line to be on a separate line in the file. Additionally, because you are passing in a list of strings, it can be easier to manage and organize the data that you are writing to the file.

Comparison

When comparing thewrite() andwritelines() methods, there are a few key differences to consider. Thewrite() method is more suitable for writing a single string to a file, while thewritelines() method is better for writing multiple lines of text. If you need to write a large amount of data to a file, usingwritelines() with a list of strings can be more efficient than callingwrite() multiple times.

Another difference between the two methods is how they handle newline characters. As mentioned earlier, thewrite() method does not automatically add a newline character, so you will need to manually add it if you want each string to be on a separate line. On the other hand, thewritelines() method automatically adds a newline character at the end of each string, making it easier to write multiple lines of text.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both thewrite() andwritelines() methods have their own advantages and use cases. Thewrite() method is more suitable for writing a single string to a file with more control over the content, while thewritelines() method is better for writing multiple lines of text with automatic newline characters. Depending on your specific requirements, you can choose the method that best fits your needs when working with files in Python.