Elif
Check several conditions, one after another.
1number = 2
2if number == 1:
3 print("one")
4elif number == 2:
5 print("two")
6else:
7 print("something else")
$ python3 main.py
two
Every line, explained
number = 2- This creates a variable: a named box that stores a value. In Python you just write name = value: the = stores the value on the right into the name on the left. No special type word, no semicolon; Python keeps it simple.
if number == 1:- if checks the condition after it. Two things to notice: the line ends with a colon :, and the lines that belong to the if are indented 4 spaces underneath. Python uses indentation to know exactly which code is "inside" the if. If the condition is True the indented code runs; otherwise Python skips it. (The editor indents for you here; in a real editor you would type the 4 spaces.) == asks "are these equal?". Careful: a single = stores a value, a double == compares. 2 == 1 is False, so this branch is skipped.
print("one")- print(...) shows whatever is inside its round brackets in the terminal, then moves to a new line. It is written all in lowercase, and it needs both brackets. Skipped: number is not 1.
elif number == 2:- elif is short for "else if": another check that is only tried if the one above it was False. Python tests each condition from top to bottom and runs the first branch whose condition is True. 2 == 2 is True, so this branch runs.
print("two")- print(...) shows whatever is inside its round brackets in the terminal, then moves to a new line. It is written all in lowercase, and it needs both brackets. This line runs.
else:- else: is the "otherwise" branch. When the if condition is False, the indented code under else: runs instead. Exactly one of the two branches runs, never both. Only runs when every check above it failed.
print("something else")- print(...) shows whatever is inside its round brackets in the terminal, then moves to a new line. It is written all in lowercase, and it needs both brackets. Skipped: the elif above already matched.