Are you facing the âTypeError: string indices that must be integersâ error in Python while accessing the values of strings, tuples, and lists?Â
TypeError is familiar exception developers face in Python when the data type of objects is used in an invalid manner. And the error string indices must be integers in Python occurs when you are accessing the values of iterables like strings, tuples, and lists in an invalid manner.
This article will focus on the âTypeError: string indices that must be integersâ error in Python and how to fix it. But before going into the details of the error, letâs first discuss what a TypeError is in Python.Â
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Table of Contents
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What is a TypeError in Python?
TypeError is one of the most common types of exception in Python that occurs when you are using the object in an invalid which isnât supported by Python syntax. Instead, it represents an error when the operation cannot be performed in Python.
There could be different reasons behind the cause of TypeError in Python; letâs look at a few scenarios that cause TypeError.
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Code examples that cause TypeError in Python
Code Example 1
print(3/"x")
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Output
TypeError: unsupported operand type(s) for /: 'int' and 'str'
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Code Example 2
print('2'+2)
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Output
TypeError: can only concatenate str (not "int") to str
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Code Example 3
lst = [1, 2] tpl = (4, 5)Â Â Â Â print(tpl+lst)
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Output
TypeError: can only concatenate tuple (not "list") to tuple
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Code Example 4
myInt = 100 myInt()
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Output
TypeError: 'int' object is not callable
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Code Example 5
string = "GuidingCode.com" print(string['G'])
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Output
TypeError: string indices must be integers
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Alright! Now that we have understood what a TypeError is in Python, letâs move towards understanding the âTypeError: string indices must be integersâ error more specifically.
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What is the âTypeError: String Indices Must be Integersâ in Python?
The error happens when you access an iterable with an invalid index. An index is a location of a value in an iterable, and its data type should be an integer.Â
So long story short, to access values of the strings, lists, or tuples, youâll need an index, but when you try to use an invalid index, youâll get the string indices must be integers error.
Letâs see a few examples that cause the TypeError string indices must be integers.
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Code
# create a list of coding sites lst = ["GuidingCode","StackOverFlow","Delftstack","Quora"] # access the first site and print it print(lst['GuidingCode'])
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Output
TypeError: list indices must be integers or slices, not str
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Code
# create a tuple of countries tpl = ["Malaysia", "Pakistan","USA","UK","Turkey"] # access the first item of the tpl print(tpl['1'])
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Output
TypeError: list indices must be integers or slices, not str
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Code
# create a string string = "GuidingCode.com" # access the first value of the string print(string['1'])
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Output
TypeError: string indices must be integers
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As you can see, all the above are different scenarios, but each of these has TypeError string indices that must be integers. And the reason is that if you can see where you are using an invalid index for each iterable to access data, the index should be an integer.
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How to Fix the âTypeError: String Indices Must be Integersâ in Python?
So far, we have discussed TypeError and the different scenarios that cause it. So now itâs time to fix the error in Python.Â
We understood that the index caused the error because the index as a string isnât supported in Python. Letâs use a valid index to access the values from an iterableÂ
The index always starts with 0, and to access the first element of an iterable, you have to use the index as 0 instead of 1.
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Code
# create a list of coding sites lst = ["GuidingCode","StackOverFlow","Delftstack","Quora"] # access the first site and print it print(lst[0])
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Output
GuidingCode
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Code
# create a string site = "GuidingCode.com"
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# access the 6th element of the string print(site[5])
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Output
n
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You can also use the index as a sublist, but again the index range should be integer values. For example, letâs print the first 11 values of the string site.Â
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Code
# create a string site = "GuidingCode.com" # access the 6th element of the string print(site[0:11])
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Output
GuidingCode
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This code says to the Python compiler, âHey! Compiler, please print the values from locations 0 to 11 from the string siteâ. Isnât this cool? đ
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Conclusion
To summarize the article on how to fix the âTypeError: string indices that must be integersâ error in Python, we have discussed what a TypeError is and the different scenarios that cause the TypeError in Python. In addition, weâve talked specifically about what the error is and how to fix this, along with practical examples and implementations.
Letâs have a quick recap of the topics weâve discussed in this article,
- What is a TypeError in Python?
- The different scenarios that cause a TypeError in Python.
- What is the âTypeError: String Indices Must be Integersâ error?
- How to fix this error?
- How to access a substring from a string?
Sharing is caring đ; comment below what are the other scenarios that cause a TypeError in Python.
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