Python – Lists
The list is a most versatile datatype available in Python which can be written as a list of comma-separated values (items) between square brackets. Important thing about a list is that items in a list need not be of the same type.
Creating a list is as simple as putting different comma-separated values between square brackets. For example −
>list1 = ['physics', 'chemistry', 1997, 2000] list2 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ] list3 = ["a", "b", "c", "d"]
Similar to string indices, list indices start at 0, and lists can be sliced, concatenated and so on.
Accessing Values in Lists
To access values in lists, use the square brackets for slicing along with the index or indices to obtain value available at that index. For example −
#!/usr/bin/python list1 = ['physics', 'chemistry', 1997, 2000] list2 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ] print "list1[0]: ", list1[0] print "list2[1:5]: ", list2[1:5]
When the above code is executed, it produces the following result −
>list1[0]: physics list2[1:5]: [2, 3, 4, 5]
Updating Lists
You can update single or multiple elements of lists by giving the slice on the left-hand side of the assignment operator, and you can add to elements in a list with the append() method. For example −
#!/usr/bin/python list = ['physics', 'chemistry', 1997, 2000] print "Value available at index 2 : " print list[2] list[2] = 2001 print "New value available at index 2 : " print list[2]
Note − append() method is discussed in subsequent section.
When the above code is executed, it produces the following result −
>Value available at index 2 : 1997 New value available at index 2 : 2001
Delete List Elements
To remove a list element, you can use either the del statement if you know exactly which element(s) you are deleting or the remove() method if you do not know. For example −
#!/usr/bin/python list1 = ['physics', 'chemistry', 1997, 2000] print list1 del list1[2] print "After deleting value at index 2 : " print list1
When the above code is executed, it produces following result −
>['physics', 'chemistry', 1997, 2000] After deleting value at index 2 : ['physics', 'chemistry', 2000]
Note − remove() method is discussed in subsequent section.
Basic List Operations
Lists respond to the + and * operators much like strings; they mean concatenation and repetition here too, except that the result is a new list, not a string.
In fact, lists respond to all of the general sequence operations we used on strings in the prior chapter.
Python Expression | Results | Description |
---|---|---|
len([1, 2, 3]) | 3 | Length |
[1, 2, 3] + [4, 5, 6] | [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] | Concatenation |
[‘Hi!’] * 4 | [‘Hi!’, ‘Hi!’, ‘Hi!’, ‘Hi!’] | Repetition |
3 in [1, 2, 3] | True | Membership |
for x in [1, 2, 3]: print x, | 1 2 3 | Iteration |