Core Python Programming

8.3. elif (a.k.a. else-if) Statement

elif is the Python else-if statement. It allows one to check multiple expressions for truth value and execute a block of code as soon as one of the conditions evaluates to true. Like the else, the elif statement is optional. However, unlike else, for which there can be at most one statement, there can be an arbitrary number of elif statements following an if.

						if
						expression1:
						expr1_true_suite
						elif
						expression2:
						expr2_true_suite
         :
elif
						expressionN:
						exprN_true_suite
						else:
						none_of_the_above_suite
					

At this time, Python does not currently support switch or case statements as in other languages. Python syntax does not present roadblocks to readability in the presence of a good number of if-elif statements.

						if