SyntaxError: EOL while scanning string literal

This error message is a SyntaxError that occurs when Python encounters a string literal that is not properly terminated. "EOL" stands for "end of line", which means that the error happens because Python has reached the end of a line but didn't find the closing quotation mark for the string.

Causes of the Error

There are several possible reasons why you may encounter this error:

• You forgot to close the quotation mark at the end of the string literal.
• You used the wrong type of quotation marks, such as double quotes inside double quotes or single quotes inside single quotes without using an escape character.
• You created a multi-line string literal but forgot to close it properly with triple quotes.

How to Fix the Error

To fix this error, you need to identify the line where the error occurs and check if you have closed the string literal properly. If you're using an IDE or code editor with syntax highlighting, it can help you spot where the error is. You can also try running your code through a Python linter or using the pdb module to debug your code.

Here are some examples of how you can fix the error:

• If you forgot to close the quotation mark at the end of the string literal, simply add the missing quotation mark:

  # Before
  message = "Hello, world!
  
  # After
  message = "Hello, world!"
  

• If you used the wrong type of quotation marks, use the correct one or escape the inner quotation marks:

  # Using double quotes inside double quotes
  message = "The book said, "Python is awesome!""
  
  # Fix by using escape character
  message = "The book said, \"Python is awesome!\""
  

• If you created a multi-line string literal, make sure to close it properly with triple quotes:

  # Before
  message = """This is a multi-line string literal
  
  # After
  message = """This is a multi-line string literal"""
  

Conclusion

The SyntaxError: EOL while scanning string literal error is a common error that occurs when you forget to close a string literal properly. By knowing the possible causes of the error and how to fix them, you can write Python code with confidence and avoid this error in the future.