title: What's the main difference between 'if' and 'else if'?
body: <p>For e.g.. 
  <br /><br/>
  According to some experts,</p>
  
  <p>The conditions here are mutually exclusive:</p>
  
  <pre><code>if(n&gt;0):
      print "Number is Positive"
  if(n&lt;0):
      print "Number is Negative"
  if(n==0):
      print "Number is ZERO"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>It would be better to rewrite with elif and else:</p>
  
  <pre><code> if n &gt; 0:
      print "Number is Positive"
   elif n &lt; 0:
      print "Number is Negative"
   else:
      print "Number is ZERO"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>So I just want to ask the question that , Is there any difference between <strong>' if '</strong> and <strong>' elif '</strong> . I know the basic difference between ' if ' and ' elif '. But I just want to know  , Why some novice programmers prefer ' elif ' over ' if '?</p>