How can I use assert statements for debugging in Python?

How can I use assert statements for debugging in Python?

You can use assert statements to test if a condition is true during debugging. If the condition is false, it raises an AssertionError.

Can you give me an example of how to use assert in a function?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

def divide(a, b):
    assert b != 0, 'b cannot be zero!'
    return a / b

This will raise an error if you try to divide by zero.

What happens if the assertion fails?

If the assertion fails, Python raises an AssertionError and stops the execution of the program, which helps you identify issues early.

Is it a good practice to leave assert statements in production code?

Generally, assert statements are used for debugging and can be disabled with optimization flags in production, so it's best to avoid relying on them for critical checks.