Programming

Python errors: what IndentationError, NameError and TypeError mean

Reading and fixing the most common errors.

All lessons · Python lessons: learn from scratch

How to read an error message

The last line names the kind of error and the reason; the lines above show the file and line number. Read from the bottom up.

Common errors

  • IndentationError — wrong indentation; use 4 spaces and do not mix tabs and spaces.
  • SyntaxError — a colon, bracket or quote is missing.
  • NameError — the variable is not defined or misspelled (Name ≠ name).
  • TypeError — an operation on the wrong type, e.g. text + number.
  • IndexError — using a position that is not in the list.
  • ModuleNotFoundError — the library is not installed: pip install name.
try:
    x = int(input("Number: "))
except ValueError:
    print("That was not a number")

Author: Nibras Code