int.bit_length() Bit length
Last updated: 2026-09-22
int.bit_length() Bit length
int.bit_length() returns the number of bits needed to represent the integer.
| Category | Number Methods |
|---|---|
| Kind | Built-in Type Method |
| Python Version | all |
📝 Syntax
int.bit_length()Returns：int. The minimum number of bits to represent the integer; 0 for zero.
Mutates the original：No (returns a new object)
▶ Example
Edit the code, press Run, and see the result in the output panel:
Output：
4
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❓ FAQ
QWhat does bit_length() return?
AThe minimum number of bits needed to represent the integer. For example, 10 in binary is 1010, so it returns 4.
QWhat about 0 and negative numbers?
A0 returns 0. Negative numbers are computed by absolute value: (-5).bit_length() equals 3, the same as 5.
QWhat is it useful for?
ADetermining how much storage a number needs, or working out the length parameter together with to_bytes().
