IndentationError

IndentationError is a common exception in Python that occurs when the indentation of the code is inconsistent or incorrect. Python relies heavily on whitespace, particularly indentation, to define code blocks such as loops, conditional statements, and function definitions. Unlike many other programming languages that use delimiters like curly braces, Python uses indentation to denote scope.

When an IndentationError is raised, it signifies that the Python interpreter encountered an unexpected level of indentation. This can happen for several reasons. One common cause is mixing tabs and spaces within the same file. While some text editors might display them similarly, Python interprets them differently, leading to the error. Another frequent issue is incorrect indentation within a block of code. For example, if a line inside a loop is not indented to the same level as the other lines in the loop, an IndentationError will occur.

Fixing an IndentationError typically involves carefully reviewing the code and ensuring that all lines within the same code block are indented consistently. It is best practice to choose either spaces or tabs and stick with it throughout the project. Most modern text editors and IDEs can be configured to automatically handle indentation, either by converting tabs to spaces or vice versa, which can help prevent this error. Understanding Python's indentation rules is crucial for writing clean, readable, and error-free Python code.