Core Python Programming

6.5. Built-in Functions

6.5.1. Standard Type Functions

cmp()

As with the value comparison operators, the cmp() built-in function also performs a lexicographic comparison for strings.

>>> str1 = 'abc'
>>> str2 = 'lmn'
>>> str3 = 'xyz'
>>> cmp(str1, str2)
-11
>>> cmp(str3, str1)
23
>>> cmp(str2, 'lmn')
0

6.5.2. Sequence Type Functions

len()

>>> str1 = 'abc'
>>> len(str1)
3
>>> len('Hello World!')
12

The len() built-in function returns the number of characters in the string as expected.

max() and min()

>>> str2 = 'lmn'
>>> str3 = 'xyz'
>>> max(str2)
'n'
>>> min(str3)
'x'

Although more useful with other sequence types, the max() and min() built-in functions do operate as advertised, returning the greatest and least characters (lexicographic ...