Indentation errors in Python
David Y.
—The ProblemJump To Solution
When I attempt to run my Python script, I receive the following error:
IndentationError: unindent does not match any outer indentation level
The Solution
Python uses indentation to group blocks of code. Top-level code in a Python script will start flush against the left margin, with each inner block being indented by an additional four spaces, per convention. If a block contains unevenly indented code (for example, two spaces before one line and four spaces before another), this confuses the interpreter and results in an IndentationError exception. Therefore, it is important to ensure that all statements in each block are prefaced with the same number of spaces.
However, Python code that appears to be correctly indented can also produce IdentationError exceptions. This usually arises from the use of both spaces and tabs for indentation, which Python disallows. The Python interpreter expects a single file to be indented with either spaces or tabs throughout, with spaces being officially preferred.
It should be possible to fix this error by replacing each tab with four spaces. This can be done automatically across whole files using the find-replace function in most text editors, or by using the following sed command on a Unix-based system:
sed 's/\t/ /g' myscript.py
- Sentry BlogPython Performance Testing: A Comprehensive Guide
- Sentry BlogLogging in Python: A Developer’s Guide
- Listen to the Syntax Podcast
![Syntax.fm logo]()
Tasty Treats for Web Developers brought to you by Sentry. Web development tips and tricks hosted by Wes Bos and Scott Tolinski
Listen to Syntax
Loved by over 4 million developers and more than 90,000 organizations worldwide, Sentry provides code-level observability to many of the world’s best-known companies like Disney, Peloton, Cloudflare, Eventbrite, Slack, Supercell, and Rockstar Games. Each month we process billions of exceptions from the most popular products on the internet.
A peek at your privacy
Here’s a quick look at how Sentry handles your personal information (PII).
×Who we collect PII from
We collect PII about people browsing our website, users of the Sentry service, prospective customers, and people who otherwise interact with us.
What if my PII is included in data sent to Sentry by a Sentry customer (e.g., someone using Sentry to monitor their app)? In this case you have to contact the Sentry customer (e.g., the maker of the app). We do not control the data that is sent to us through the Sentry service for the purposes of application monitoring.
Am I included?PII we may collect about you
- PII provided by you and related to your
- Account, profile, and login
- Requests and inquiries
- Purchases
- PII collected from your device and usage
- PII collected from third parties (e.g., social media)
How we use your PII
- To operate our site and service
- To protect and improve our site and service
- To provide customer care and support
- To communicate with you
- For other purposes (that we inform you of at collection)
Third parties who receive your PII
We may disclose your PII to the following type of recipients:
- Subsidiaries and other affiliates
- Service providers
- Partners (go-to-market, analytics)
- Third-party platforms (when you connect them to our service)
- Governmental authorities (where necessary)
- An actual or potential buyer
We use cookies (but not for advertising)
- We do not use advertising or targeting cookies
- We use necessary cookies to run and improve our site and service
- You can disable cookies but this can impact your use or access to certain parts of our site and service
Know your rights
You may have the following rights related to your PII:
- Access, correct, and update
- Object to or restrict processing
- Port over
- Opt-out of marketing
- Be forgotten by Sentry
- Withdraw your consent
- Complain about us
If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy at Sentry, please email us at compliance@sentry.io.
If you are a California resident, see our Supplemental notice.