python syntax_error ai_generated true

SyntaxError: invalid syntax

ID: python/syntaxerror-invalid-syntax

Also available as: JSON · Markdown
98%Fix Rate
98%Confidence
50Evidence
2023-01-01First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
311 active — — —

Root Cause

Python parser cannot understand the code. Often points to the line AFTER the actual error.

generic

Workarounds

  1. 95% success Check the line BEFORE the reported error for missing colons, parentheses, or brackets 
    Check the line BEFORE the reported error for missing colons, parentheses, or brackets

    Sources: https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/errors.html#syntax-errors

  2. 90% success Use an editor with syntax highlighting or run py_compile to get precise location 
    python -m py_compile script.py

    Sources: https://docs.python.org/3/library/py_compile.html

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Fix only the reported line 75% fail

    The real error is often on the PREVIOUS line (missing colon, paren, bracket)

  2. Assume Python version mismatch 55% fail

    Usually it's just a typo, not a version issue

Error Chain

Frequently confused with: