Table of Contents
Introduction
In this tutorial, we will build a currency converter with Python. A currency converter is a useful tool that allows users to convert between different currencies based on the current exchange rates. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a functioning currency converter that can convert an amount from one currency to another.
Prerequisites
To follow along with this tutorial, you should have a basic understanding of the Python programming language. Additionally, you will need to have Python installed on your computer. If you haven’t installed Python yet, you can download it from the official Python website and follow the installation instructions specific to your operating system.
Setup
Before we start building the currency converter, we need to install a Python library called forex-python. This library provides foreign exchange rates, currency conversion, and currency information. To install the forex-python library, open your command line or terminal and run the following command:
python
pip install forex-python
Once the installation is complete, we can move on to building our currency converter.
Building the Currency Converter
Step 1: Importing necessary libraries
Let’s start by importing the necessary libraries. We will be using the forex_python library to fetch currency rates and perform currency conversions. Open your text editor or Python IDE and create a new Python file. Import the required libraries as follows:
python
from forex_python.converter import CurrencyRates
Step 2: Getting user input
Next, we need to get the user’s input for the amount to convert, the base currency, and the target currency. We will use the input() function to prompt the user for input. Add the following code to your Python file:
python
amount = float(input("Enter the amount to convert: "))
base_currency = input("Enter the base currency: ")
target_currency = input("Enter the target currency: ")
Step 3: Fetching currency rates
Now, we need to fetch the currency rates using the CurrencyRates() class from the forex_python library. This class provides methods to fetch currency rates and perform currency conversions. Add the following code to your Python file:
python
c = CurrencyRates()
exchange_rate = c.get_rate(base_currency, target_currency)
Step 4: Converting the currency
With the exchange rate fetched, we can now convert the currency. Multiply the amount by the exchange_rate to get the converted amount. Add the following code to your Python file:
python
converted_amount = amount * exchange_rate
Step 5: Displaying the result
Finally, we can display the converted amount to the user. Add the following code to your Python file:
python
print(f"{amount} {base_currency} is equal to {converted_amount} {target_currency}.")
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have successfully built a currency converter with Python. In this tutorial, you learned how to import libraries, fetch currency rates, convert currencies, and display the result. You can further enhance the currency converter by adding error handling for invalid input or exploring additional features provided by the forex-python library.