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Python Python Basics Types and Branching Strings and Operators

Luke Maschoff
Luke Maschoff
820 Points
Posted by Luke Maschoff
Luke Maschoff
820 Points

I don't get what += means?

In this Python video, he used +=, what does this do exactly?

3 Answers

Rachel KTY Johnson
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Rachel KTY Johnson
Treehouse Project Reviewer
Rachel KTY Johnson
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Rachel KTY Johnson
Treehouse Project Reviewer

Hey Luke Maschoff ! It means "add the following to the existing string". To elaborate..

counter = counter + 10;

Is the same as:

counter += 10;

It just makes writing code faster :)

Eric M
Eric M
11,545 Points
Eric M
Eric M
11,545 Points

Yep, this sort of variation or shortening of acceptable syntax is often called syntactic sugar because it makes code easier, or "sweeter", to read.

Many languages also sugar integer increments of one, x = x + 1, to not just x += 1 but also x++.