IP Address Validation in Python

Verifying the validity of IP addresses is a common task in programming. When receiving IP addresses as strings from users, it's essential to validate them to ensure they conform to the correct format and structure.

To efficiently validate IP addresses in Python, consider the following approach:

Instead of parsing the IP address manually, leverage the built-in inet_aton function from the socket module. This function serves the primary purpose of converting dotted-decimal notation IP addresses into 32-bit packed binary format.

The key here is to leverage the socket.error exception that is raised when the input is invalid. Implementing this technique involves:

1. Import the socket module:

   import socket

2. Attempt to convert the input IP address string into a packed binary representation using inet_aton:

   try:
       socket.inet_aton(ip_address)

3. If the conversion succeeds, the IP address is valid. Otherwise, it raises a socket.error. Remember to handle this exception appropriately:

   except socket.error:
       # Handle the invalid IP address

This approach offers a convenient and straightforward solution for validating IP addresses in Python without the need for complex parsing logic.