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.")