Avoid Mistakes! A Detailed Explanation of Python Indentation Rules — Why Are Spaces So Important?

Python's indentation rules are a core syntactic feature, using spaces or tabs to distinguish code blocks instead of curly braces, aiming to enhance code readability and standardization. Core rules: uniformly use 4 spaces (PEP 8 specification), prohibit mixing spaces and tabs within the same code block, and indentation amount must be consistent within the same code block. Common errors include "unindentation" (e.g., not indenting the code block after an if statement) and "inconsistent indentation" (e.g., some code in a loop indented 2 spaces while others 4), both of which trigger IndentationError. Empty code blocks require the `pass` placeholder (e.g., temporary if blocks with unfilled logic). To avoid errors: use an editor's auto-indentation (e.g., VS Code, PyCharm), enforce the 4-space standard, and check indentation consistency by selecting all code after writing. Indentation essentially defines logical structure through spaces; developing this habit results in cleaner, more logically clear code.