In Python, strings are a fundamental data type used to represent text information, such as names or sentences. They are essentially sequences of characters, which means that Python keeps track of each character’s position within the string. For example, the string “hello” is treated as a sequence of letters, allowing you to access individual characters using indexing, such as retrieving the first or last letter ³.

Strings in Python can be created using either single quotes (’ ') or double quotes (" "). This flexibility allows for easier inclusion of quotes within the string itself. For instance, a string can be defined as “I didn’t do it” without any issues. Additionally, Python strings are immutable, meaning that once a string is created, it cannot be altered. Instead, new strings are created to represent any changes or computations ⁵.

Python also provides various built-in string methods that enhance string manipulation, such as formatting and checking properties of strings ².