> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://python.microcisco.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://python.microcisco.com/python-inststitute-pcap/python-essentials-part-1/module-2/variables/the-input-function.md).

# The input () Function

 To get input from the user in Python, you can use the intuitively named **input** function.\
For example, a game can ask for the user's name and age as input and use them in the game.\
\
The input function prompts the user for input, and returns what they enter as a string (with the contents automatically escaped).\
 **Even if the user enters a number as input, it is processed as a string.**

`print("Tell me anything...")` \
`anything = input()` \
`print("Hmm...", anything, "... Really?")`

 The **input** statement needs to be followed by parentheses.\
You can provide a string to **input()** between the parentheses, producing a prompt message.\
**For example 1:**

`name = input("Enter your name: ")`\
`print("Hello, " + name)`

 Let's assume we want to take the age of the user as input.We know that the **input()** function returns a string.\
To convert it to a number, we can use the **int or float ()** function:\
**For example 2:**

`#Testing TypeError message`\
`anything = input("Enter a number: ")`\
`something = anything ** 2.0` \
`print(anything, "to the power of 2 is", something)`\
`---------------`\
`Traceback (most recent call last):` \
`File ".main.py", line 4, in <module>`\
`something = anything ** 2.0 TypeError: unsupported operand type(s) for ** or pow(): 'str' and 'float'`

*The problem here is that we tried to square a string value accompanied by a float  - not going to work*\
`#Testing TypeError message`\
`anything = float(input("Enter a number: "))`\
`something = anything ** 2.0` \
`print(anything, "to the power of 2 is", something)`\
`------------------`\
`Enter a number 4`\
`4.0 to the power of 2 is 16`