Python ord() Function: Usage and Examples

A program needs to inspect which character a text value represents.

What You Need to Understand

The built-in ord(character) returns the Unicode code point of a single character as an integer. It is useful when inspecting text protocols and understanding encodings.

When to Use It

A program needs to inspect which character a text value represents.

Step-by-Step Python Example

print(ord("A"))
print(ord("é"))
print(ord("😀"))

How the Example Works

Each call returns a Unicode code point, not a byte in UTF-8. For example A is 65, while é is 233.

Example Output

A Second Example

Compare this smaller variation with the main example, then experiment with your own values.

for character in "ABC":
    print(character, ord(character))

Important Behavior and Edge Cases

ord() requires exactly one Unicode character. A multi-character string raises TypeError; encoded bytes are a separate representation.

Try It Yourself

Inspect the code points of every character in the word Python.

Common Beginner Mistakes

ord() requires exactly one Unicode character. A multi-character string raises TypeError; encoded bytes are a separate representation.
Applying a string method before defining whether text is intended for display, comparison, parsing, or input validation.

Key Takeaways

The built-in ord(character) returns the Unicode code point of a single character as an integer.
Each call returns a Unicode code point, not a byte in UTF-8.
ord() requires exactly one Unicode character.