>>> '%s %s' % ('one', 'two')
>>> '{} {}'.format('one', 'two')    # one two
>>> '%d %d' % (1, 2)
>>> '{} {}'.format(1, 2)            # 1 2
>>> '{1} {0}'.format('one', 'two')  # two one


class Data(object):
    def __str__(self):
        return 'str'
    def __repr__(self):
        return 'repr'
>>> '%s %r' % (Data(), Data())
>>> '{0!s} {0!r}'.format(Data())  # str repr

class Data(object):
    def __repr__(self):
        return 'räpr'
# '%a', '{0!a}' for ascii()
>>> '%r %a' % (Data(), Data())
>>> '{0!r} {0!a}'.format(Data())  # räpr r\xe4pr


>>> '%10s' % ('test',)
>>> '{:>10}'.format('test')   # test
>>> '%-10s' % ('test',)
>>> '{:10}'.format('test')    # test      $
>>> '{:_<10}'.format('test')  # test______
>>> '{:^10}'.format('test')   # test   $
>>> '{:^6}'.format('zip')     # zip  $  (extra character on the right)


>>> '%.5s' % ('xylophone',)
>>> '{:.5}'.format('xylophone')    # xylop
>>> '%-10.5s' % ('xylophone',)
>>> '{:10.5}'.format('xylophone')  # xylop     $


>>> '%d' % (42,)
>>> '{:d}'.format(42)        # 42
>>> '%4d' % (42,)
>>> '{:4d}'.format(42)       #   42
>>> '%04d' % (42,)
>>> '{:04d}'.format(42)      # 0042
>>> '%+d' % (42,)
>>> '{:+d}'.format(42)       # +42
>>> '% d' % ((- 23),)
>>> '{: d}'.format((- 23))   # -23
>>> '% d' % (42,)
>>> '{: d}'.format(42)       #  42
>>> '{:=5d}'.format((- 23))  # -  23
>>> '{:=+5d}'.format(23)     # +  23


>>> '%f' % (3.141592653589793,)
>>> '{:f}'.format(3.141592653589793)      # 3.141593
>>> '%06.2f' % (3.141592653589793,)
>>> '{:06.2f}'.format(3.141592653589793)  # 003.14


data = {'first': 'Hodor', 'last': 'Hodor!'}
>>> '%(first)s %(last)s' % data
>>> '{first} {last}'.format(**data)  # Hodor Hodor!
>>> '{first} {last}'.format(first='Hodor', last='Hodor!')  # Hodor Hodor!

person = {'first': 'Jean-Luc', 'last': 'Picard'}
>>> '{p[first]} {p[last]}'.format(p=person)  # Jean-Luc Picard

data = [4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42]
>>> '{d[4]} {d[5]}'.format(d=data)  # 23 42

class Plant(object):
    type = 'tree'
>>> '{p.type}'.format(p=Plant())  # tree

class Plant(object):
    type = 'tree'
    kinds = [{'name': 'oak'}, {'name': 'maple'}]
>>> '{p.type}: {p.kinds[0][name]}'.format(p=Plant())  # tree: oak

from datetime import datetime
>>> '{:%Y-%m-%d %H:%M}'.format(datetime(2001, 2, 3, 4, 5))  # 2001-02-03 04:05


>>> '{:{align}{width}}'.format('test', align='^', width='10')      # test   $
>>> '%.*s = %.*f' % (3, 'Gibberish', 3, 2.7182)
>>> '{:.{prec}} = {:.{prec}f}'.format('Gibberish', 2.7182, prec=3) # Gib = 2.718
>>> '%*.*f' % (5, 2, 2.7182)
>>> '{:{width}.{prec}f}'.format(2.7182, width=5, prec=2)           # 2.72
>>> '{:{prec}} = {:{prec}}'.format('Gibberish', 2.7182, prec='.3') # Gib = 2.72

from datetime import datetime
dt = datetime(2001, 2, 3, 4, 5)
>>> '{:{dfmt} {tfmt}}'.format(dt, dfmt='%Y-%m-%d', tfmt='%H:%M')   # 2001-02-03 04:05

>>> '{:{}{}{}.{}}'.format(2.7182818284, '>', '+', 10, 3)           # +2.72
>>> '{:{}{sign}{}.{}}'.format(2.7182818284, '>', 10, 3, sign='+')  # +2.72


class HAL9000(object):
    def __format__(self, format):
        if (format == 'open-the-pod-bay-doors'):
            return "I'm afraid I can't do that."
        return 'HAL 9000'
>>> '{:open-the-pod-bay-doors}'.format(HAL9000())  # I'm afraid I can't do that.