---
title: do not use operator -- and ++
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Static Code Analysis (SAST) > SAST
  Rules > do not use operator -- and ++
---

# do not use operator -- and ++

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{% /callout %}

## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**ID:** `python-best-practices/no-double-unary-operator`

**Language:** Python

**Severity:** Error

**Category:** Best Practices

## Description{% #description %}

Operator `--` and `++` do not exists in Python. Increment or decrement the variable appropriately.

## Non-Compliant Code Examples{% #non-compliant-code-examples %}

```python
--n  # use n = n - 1
++n  # use n = n + 1
```

## Compliant Code Examples{% #compliant-code-examples %}

```python
n = n + 1
n = n - 1
```
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