What does %s mean in a Python format string?

In a Python format string, the %s placeholder represents a string. It is used to indicate that a string should be inserted at that position in the final string.

Here's an example of how you can use the %s placeholder in a format string:

name = 'John'
age = 30

# Use the %s placeholder to insert a string into the final string
output = 'My name is %s and I am %s years old' % (name, age)

print(output)  # Output: 'My name is John and I am 30 years old'

The %s placeholder can be used in a format string to insert any type of object that can be converted to a string. For example, you can use %s to insert an integer or a floating-point number into a string, as long as you convert the number to a string first.

For example:

value = 42

# Convert the number to a string and insert it into the final string
output = 'The value is %s' % str(value)

print(output)  # Output: 'The value is 42'