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Python ord() Function – Get Unicode Code of a Character



Python ord() Function

The ord() function in Python returns the Unicode code point (an integer) for a given character. It is the reverse of the chr() function.

Syntax

ord(character)

Parameters:

  • character – A string representing a single Unicode character.

Returns:

  • An integer representing the Unicode code point of the given character.

Example 1: Using ord() with a lowercase letter

print(ord('a'))
97

Example 2: Using ord() with an uppercase letter

print(ord('A'))
65

Example 3: Using ord() with a special character

print(ord('@'))
64

Use Cases

  • Comparing characters based on Unicode values
  • Implementing custom sorting algorithms
  • Converting characters to numbers in cryptographic or hashing applications

ord() with Unicode Characters

print(ord('₹'))  # Rupee symbol
8377

This works with any character in the Unicode standard, not just English letters.

Common Mistakes

  • Passing more than one character: ord('ab') will raise a TypeError.
  • Passing an empty string: ord('') will also raise a TypeError.

Interview Tip

The ord() function is often used in problems that involve character frequency, shifting characters (like in Caesar cipher), or sorting letters.

Summary

  • ord() converts a character to its Unicode code point.
  • It accepts exactly one character.
  • Works with any character in the Unicode set.

Practice Problem

Write a program that takes a character as input and prints its Unicode value.

ch = input("Enter a character: ")
if len(ch) == 1:
    print("Unicode code point is:", ord(ch))
else:
    print("Please enter exactly one character.")


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