How do I wait for a pressed key?

Here is an example of how you might wait for a key press in Python:

Wait for a pressed key

import msvcrt

def wait_for_key():
    while True:
        if msvcrt.kbhit():
            return msvcrt.getch().decode('utf-8')

print("Press any key to continue...")
key = wait_for_key()
print("You pressed:", key)

This uses the msvcrt module, which provides functionality for interacting with the Windows console. The kbhit() function checks if a key has been pressed, and getch() retrieves it. Note that msvcrt.getch() returns a byte string in Python 3, so we decode it to a standard string.

Alternatively, you can use the input() function to wait for a key press and input together:

Wait for key press and input together in Python

key = input("Press any key to continue...")

Keep in mind that the msvcrt module is only available on Windows, while input() works on all platforms. However, input() waits specifically for the Enter key and consumes the trailing newline, so it does not detect arbitrary single-key presses without confirmation. For cross-platform single-key detection without requiring Enter, consider third-party libraries like readchar.