String Formatting Method Calls

As mentioned earlier, Python 2.6 and 3.0 introduced a new way to format strings that is seen by some as a bit more Python-specific. Unlike formatting expressions, formatting method calls are not closely based upon the C language’s “printf” model, and they are more verbose and explicit in intent. On the other hand, the new technique still relies on some “printf” concepts, such as type codes and formatting specifications. Moreover, it largely overlaps with (and sometimes requires a bit more code than) formatting expressions, and it can be just as complex in advanced roles. Because of this, there is no best-use recommendation between expressions and method calls today, so most programmers would be well served by a cursory understanding of both schemes.