pass statement in Python

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use the Python pass statement as a placeholder.

Consider the following if/else condition:

counter = 1
max = 10
if counter <= max:
    counter += 1
else:
    # implement later

You don’t have any code in the else clause yet. This else clause, however, will be coded later.

If you run the code in this situation, you’ll get a syntax error (SyntaxError).

The Python pass statement is useful in this situation:

counter = 1
max = 10
if counter <= max:
    counter += 1
else:
    pass

The statement pass has no effect. It’s only a placeholder for future code.

The Python interpreter will regard the pass statement as a single statement when you run the code that contains it. As a result, no syntax errors are generated.

In Python, the pass statement can technically be used in several statements.

Take a look at these pass statement examples.

if statement and pass in Python

The following code demonstrates how to use the pass statement in conjunction with an if statement:

if condition:
    pass

for loop and pass in Python

In this example, the pass statement is used in a for loop:

for i in range(1,100):
    pass

while loop and pass in Python

The pass statement is demonstrated with a while loop in the following example:

while condition:
    pass