Python Turtle Cheat Sheet: All Commands with Examples (+ Printable PDF)

This Python Turtle cheat sheet lists 70 commands in 11 groups, each with a one-line example: moving and turning, the pen, colours and fills, shapes, text, clearing, animation and keyboard and mouse events. Every command name and alias was checked against the turtle module, and every example was run in Python 3.12. For the full reference, see the official turtle documentation.

Download the printable Python Turtle cheat sheet (PDF): the same commands on two A4 pages, ready to print.

Minimal Turtle program (starter template)

Every Turtle program follows the same pattern: import the module, create a screen and a turtle, give drawing commands, and finish with turtle.done() so the window stays open:

import turtle

screen = turtle.Screen()
t = turtle.Turtle()

t.forward(100)
t.left(90)
t.forward(100)

turtle.done()

The examples in the tables below assume screen and t were created like this.

Setup and the window

Command	What it does	Example
screen = turtle.Screen()	Create (or get) the drawing window	screen = turtle.Screen()
t = turtle.Turtle()	Create a turtle to draw with	t = turtle.Turtle()
screen.setup(width, height)	Window size in pixels	screen.setup(800, 600)
screen.title(text)	Window title	screen.title("My drawing")
screen.bgcolor(color)	Background colour	screen.bgcolor("lightblue")
screen.bgpic(file)	Background image (GIF or PNG)	screen.bgpic("bg.gif")
screen.screensize(w, h)	Size of the drawing area (adds scrollbars if larger than the window)	screen.screensize(1200, 900)
screen.window_width()	Current window width (window_height() for height)	print(screen.window_width())
turtle.done()	Keep the window open until you close it; put it last	turtle.done()
screen.exitonclick()	Close the window when it is clicked	screen.exitonclick()
screen.bye()	Close the window from code	screen.bye()

Move and turn

Command	What it does	Example
t.forward(distance) alias: fd	Move forward, drawing if the pen is down	t.forward(100)
t.backward(distance) alias: bk, back	Move backward without turning	t.backward(50)
t.right(angle) alias: rt	Turn clockwise by angle degrees	t.right(90)
t.left(angle) alias: lt	Turn counterclockwise	t.left(45)
t.goto(x, y) alias: setpos, setposition	Move to a point (draws a line if the pen is down)	t.goto(100, 50)
t.teleport(x, y)	Jump to a point without drawing (Python 3.12+)	t.teleport(-100, 0)
t.setx(x) / t.sety(y) alias: sety	Change only the x or only the y coordinate	t.setx(0)
t.setheading(angle) alias: seth	Point in a direction: 0 east, 90 north, 180 west, 270 south	t.setheading(90)
t.home()	Back to (0, 0), facing east	t.home()
t.circle(radius, extent, steps)	Circle, arc or regular polygon; negative radius goes clockwise	t.circle(50, 180)
t.dot(size, color)	Filled dot at the current position	t.dot(20, "red")
t.stamp()	Print a copy of the turtle shape; returns an id	sid = t.stamp()
t.clearstamp(id) alias: clearstamps	Remove one stamp (clearstamps() removes all)	t.clearstamp(sid)
t.undo()	Undo the last action	t.undo()
t.speed(speed)	1 slowest to 10 fast, 0 = no animation; or "slow", "fast", "fastest"	t.speed(0)

Turtle coordinates and headings

The centre of the window is (0, 0). x grows to the right and y grows upwards. Headings are measured counterclockwise from east:

import turtle

screen = turtle.Screen()
screen.setup(700, 520)
screen.title("Turtle coordinates and headings")

t = turtle.Turtle()
t.hideturtle()
t.speed(0)

def jump(x, y):
    t.penup()
    t.goto(x, y)
    t.pendown()

t.color("#bbbbbb")                     # x and y axes
jump(-330, 0); t.goto(330, 0)
jump(0, -240); t.goto(0, 240)

t.color("black")
jump(8, 6)
t.write("(0, 0)", font=("Arial", 12, "normal"))
for x, y in [(200, 150), (-200, 150), (-200, -150), (200, -150)]:
    jump(x, y)
    t.dot(10, "#306998")
    t.write(f"  ({x}, {y})", font=("Arial", 12, "normal"))

arrow = turtle.Turtle(shape="arrow")   # headings
arrow.color("#c62828")
arrow.penup()
arrow.speed(0)
for angle in (0, 90, 180, 270):
    arrow.home()
    arrow.setheading(angle)
    arrow.forward(80)
    arrow.stamp()
    arrow.forward(34)
    arrow.sety(arrow.ycor() - 9)
    arrow.write(f"{angle}", align="center", font=("Arial", 14, "bold"))
arrow.hideturtle()

turtle.done()

circle(): circles, arcs and polygons

circle() draws around a centre that is radius units to the turtle’s left. extent draws part of the circle and steps turns it into a regular polygon:

import turtle

screen = turtle.Screen()
screen.setup(820, 360)
screen.title("circle() options")

t = turtle.Turtle()
t.speed(0)
t.pensize(3)
t.color("#306998")

examples = [("circle(50)", {"radius": 50}),
            ("circle(50, 180)", {"radius": 50, "extent": 180}),
            ("circle(50, steps=6)", {"radius": 50, "steps": 6}),
            ("circle(-50)", {"radius": -50})]

for i, (text, kwargs) in enumerate(examples):
    x = -285 + i * 190
    t.penup()
    t.goto(x, -40 if kwargs["radius"] > 0 else 60)
    t.setheading(0)
    t.pendown()
    t.circle(**kwargs)
    t.penup()
    t.goto(x, -90)
    t.write(text, align="center", font=("Consolas", 11, "normal"))

t.hideturtle()
turtle.done()

Where is the turtle?

Command	What it does	Example
t.position() alias: pos	Current (x, y)	print(t.position())
t.xcor() / t.ycor() alias: ycor	Current x or y only	print(t.xcor(), t.ycor())
t.heading()	Current direction in degrees	print(t.heading())
t.towards(x, y)	Angle from the turtle to a point	t.setheading(t.towards(0, 100))
t.distance(x, y)	Distance to a point (or to another turtle)	print(t.distance(0, 0))

Pen

Command	What it does	Example
t.pendown() alias: pd, down	Draw when moving	t.pendown()
t.penup() alias: pu, up	Move without drawing	t.penup()
t.pensize(width) alias: width	Line thickness	t.pensize(5)
t.isdown()	True if the pen is down	print(t.isdown())
t.pen(**settings)	Set several pen options at once	t.pen(pencolor="red", pensize=3)

import turtle

screen = turtle.Screen()
screen.setup(640, 360)
screen.title("Pen size and colour")

t = turtle.Turtle()
t.speed(0)
t.hideturtle()

colors = ["black", "#306998", "#2e7d32", "#f9a825", "#c62828"]
for i, size in enumerate([1, 3, 6, 10, 16]):
    y = 110 - i * 50
    t.penup()
    t.goto(-280, y)
    t.pendown()
    t.pensize(size)
    t.pencolor(colors[i])
    t.forward(300)
    t.penup()
    t.forward(20)
    t.write(f"pensize({size})", font=("Consolas", 12, "normal"), align="left")
    t.backward(20)

turtle.done()

Colour and fill

Command	What it does	Example
t.color(pen, fill)	Set pen and fill colour together	t.color("red", "yellow")
t.pencolor(color)	Line and text colour: name, hex or RGB	t.pencolor("#306998")
t.fillcolor(color)	Colour used by begin_fill()/end_fill()	t.fillcolor("gold")
t.begin_fill() ... t.end_fill() alias: end_fill	Fill the shape drawn between the two calls	t.begin_fill(); t.circle(40); t.end_fill()
t.filling()	True while a fill is in progress	print(t.filling())
screen.colormode(255)	Use RGB values 0 to 255 instead of 0 to 1	screen.colormode(255); t.pencolor(255, 140, 0)

Colours can be names ("red"), hex strings ("#306998") or RGB tuples. See Python Turtle colors for a full colour chart.

Turtle shape and visibility

Command	What it does	Example
t.shape(name)	"arrow", "turtle", "circle", "square", "triangle" or "classic"	t.shape("turtle")
t.shapesize(w, l, outline) alias: turtlesize	Stretch the shape: width, length, outline	t.shapesize(2, 3, 1)
t.hideturtle() alias: ht	Hide the turtle (drawing is faster)	t.hideturtle()
t.showturtle() alias: st	Show it again	t.showturtle()
t.isvisible()	True if the turtle is shown	print(t.isvisible())
t.tilt(angle)	Rotate the shape without changing the heading	t.tilt(30)
screen.register_shape(file) alias: addshape	Use a GIF image as a turtle shape	screen.register_shape("star.gif"); t.shape("star.gif")
screen.getshapes()	List the available shape names	print(screen.getshapes())

import turtle

screen = turtle.Screen()
screen.setup(660, 340)
screen.title("Turtle shapes")

label = turtle.Turtle(visible=False)
label.penup()

names = ["arrow", "turtle", "circle", "square", "triangle", "classic"]
for i, name in enumerate(names):
    x = -250 + i * 100
    t = turtle.Turtle(shape=name)
    t.penup()
    t.color("#306998", "#9ec5ff")
    t.shapesize(2.5)
    t.goto(x, 30)
    label.goto(x, -50)
    label.write(f'"{name}"', align="center", font=("Arial", 13, "normal"))

turtle.done()