10 Surprising Python Facts You Probably Didn’t Know! 🐍

THINK YOU KNOW PYTHON? THINK AGAIN!

10 Surprising Python Facts You Probably Didn’t Know! 🐍

Python is one of the most loved programming languages, known for its simplicity, readability, and vast ecosystem.

But did you know Python has some hidden quirks and powerful features that many developers overlook?

Let’s dive into 10 surprising Python facts that will blow your mind! 🤯

1. Python Wasn’t Named After the Snake!

Most people assume Python is named after the snake, but it was actually named after the British comedy series “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.”

Guido van Rossum, Python’s creator, was a fan of the show and wanted a name that was short, unique, and slightly mysterious.

So, next time someone asks why it’s called Python, tell them it’s because of comedy, not reptiles!

2. Python Can Run Else After a Loop

Unlike most programming languages, Python allows you to use an else statement with loops!

for i in range(5): 
    print(i) 
else: 
    print("Loop completed!")

How does it work?

• The else block runs only if the loop completes without a break statement.
• If the loop is interrupted with break, the else part is skipped.

for i in range(5): 
    if i == 3: 
        break 
    print(i) 
else: 
    print("Loop completed!")  # This won’t print!

This feature is rarely used but can be super handy in certain cases!

3. Python Uses Indentation Instead of Braces

Most programming languages (like C, Java, JavaScript) use curly braces {} to define blocks of code. Python, however, enforces indentation!

def greet(): 
    print("Hello, world!")  # Proper indentation

Why is this surprising?

• Python forces developers to write clean and readable code by design.
• No missing braces, no weird formatting — just pure readability!

4. Python Supports Negative Indexing

Did you know you can access list elements using negative indices?

numbers = [10, 20, 30, 40, 50] 
print(numbers[-1])  # 50 (last element) 
print(numbers[-2])  # 40 (second last element)

Why is this useful?

• No need to use len() to find the last element
• Makes working with lists and strings much easier.

5. Python Has a Zen Philosophy

Type the following in a Python shell:

import this

You’ll see “The Zen of Python”, a set of guiding principles for writing Pythonic code.

Example principles:

“Beautiful is better than ugly.”

“Simple is better than complex.”

“Readability counts.”

Python is not just a language — it’s a philosophy!

6. You Can Swap Two Variables Without a Temp Variable

Most languages require a temporary variable to swap values. But in Python, you can swap variables in one line!

a, b = 5, 10 
a, b = b, a 
print(a, b)  # 10, 5

Why is this cool?

• No need for an extra temp variable.
• Clean and readable syntax.

7. Python Has a Built-in HTTP Server

Did you know Python comes with a built-in web server? You can start one instantly using a single command!

python -m http.server 8000

Then, open http://localhost:8000/ in your browser to see your files served like a website.

Why is this useful?

• Quickly test web applications.
• Share files over a local network.
• No need for third-party tools!

8. You Can Multiply Strings and Lists

Python lets you multiply strings and lists — something you can’t do in most languages!

print("Hello " * 3)  # Output: Hello Hello Hello 
print([1, 2, 3] * 2)  # Output: [1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3]

Why is this cool?

• Makes repeating patterns super easy!
• No need for loops or manual concatenation.

9. Python Handles Large Numbers Automatically

In many languages, you need special data types to handle big numbers. But Python automatically manages large integers!

big_num = 10**100 
print(big_num)   
# Output: 100000000000000000000000000000000000... (100 digits)

Why is this powerful?

• No int or long types — just use numbers normally!
• Python dynamically allocates memory.

10. Python is Older Than JavaScript, Java, and C#

Python was created in 1989 by Guido van Rossum, while:

• JavaScript was created in 1995

• Java was released in 1995

• C# came in 2000

Even though Python is one of the most modern-looking languages, it’s older than most programming languages we use today!

Final Thoughts: Python is Full of Surprises!

Python is simple, elegant, and powerful — but also packed with hidden gems that make coding more fun and efficient!

Which Python fact surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments!