Python Syntax Error EOL While Scanning String Literal [Solved]

What is a SyntaxError in Python?

When the Python interpreter encounters code that breaks the syntax rules of the Python programming language A SyntaxError is a error that .

In other words, it is an error that occurs when the code does not conform to the grammar of the Python language.

What is Python Syntax Error EOL While Scanning String Literal error ?

A “SyntaxError: EOL while scanning string literal” error in Python indicates that there is an issue with the way a string is defined in your code.

“EOL” stands for “end of line”, and this error means that Python reached the end of a line while it was still reading a string literal (text enclosed in quotes).

Reasons for Python Syntax Error EOL While Scanning String Literal Error

Reason 1: Missing or unmatched quotes

when you forget to close a string with a quote, or if you mix single and double quotes in a way that does not make sense to Python, you will get an EOL error.

For Example:

name = "John
print(name)

Output:

File "/home/main.py", line 1
name = "Goom
^
SyntaxError: unterminated string literal (detected at line 1)

Solution:

name = "Goom"
print(name)

Reason 2: Unescaped special characters

Special characters such as backslashes () and certain punctuation marks may have special meanings in programming languages. When these characters are used in strings, they need to be escaped with a backslash () to prevent syntax errors.

For Example:

print("This is a backslash: \")

File "/home/main.py", line 1
print("This is a backslash: \")
^
SyntaxError: unterminated string literal (detected at line 1)

To solve this error, escape all special characters that require it with a backslash.

Solution:

print("This is a backslash: \\")

Output:

This is a backslash: \

Reason 3: Multiline strings without proper syntax

Some programming languages allow multiline strings, but they require a specific syntax for them to be valid. If the syntax is incorrect, it can result in a syntax error.

Incorrect Code

string_var = "This is a
multiline string"

To solve this error, ensure that multiline strings are enclosed in the proper syntax, such as triple quotes or backticks.

Correct Code

string_var = """This is a
multiline string"""

Reason 4: Using a single quote within a single-quoted string

If a string is enclosed in single quotes, using a single quote within the string can result in a syntax error because the single quote will be interpreted as the end of the string.

Incorrect Code:

string_var = 'He said, 'Hello Goom!''
print(string)

Ouptut:

File "/home/main.py", line 1
string_var = 'He said, 'Hello Goom!''
^^^^^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

To solve this error, either use double quotes to enclose the string or escape the single quote with a backslash.

Correct Code:

string_var = "He said, 'Hello Goom!'"
#or
string_var = 'He said, \'Hello Goom!\''
print(string)

Output:

He said, 'Hello Goom!'

Reason 5: Using a double quote within a double-quoted string

Similar to using a single quote within a single-quoted string, using a double quote within a double-quoted string can also result in a syntax error.

Incorrect Code:

string_var = "She said, "Goodbye Goom!""

File "/home/main.py", line 1
string_var = "She said, "Goodbye Goom!""
^^^^^^^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

To solve this error, either use single quotes to enclose the string or escape the double quote with a backslash.

Correct Code:

string_var = 'She said, "Goodbye Goom!"'
#or
string_var = "She said, \"Goodbye Goom!\""
print(string)

Output:

She said, "Goodbye Goom!"