Introduction
Hello, everyone! Welcome back to our Python learning series on CipherTrick.com. Today, we’re going to talk about a critical data structure in Python – Lists. Lists are one of the most versatile data structures in Python, and they’re used extensively in data manipulation, machine learning algorithms, and more.
Part 1: What are Lists?
In Python, a list is a collection of items that are ordered and changeable. A list allows duplicate members, and items in a list are enclosed within square brackets [].
fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry", "apple"]
Part 2: Accessing List Items
You can access elements in a list by referring to their index number. Remember, Python list indices start at 0.
print(fruits[0]) # Outputs: apple
Part 3: Changing List Items
Lists are mutable, which means you can change their content.
fruits[1] = "blueberry"
print(fruits) # Outputs: ['apple', 'blueberry', 'cherry', 'apple']
Part 4: List Methods
Python provides several built-in methods that you can use on lists.
- append(): The append() method adds an item to the end of the list.pythonCopy code
fruits.append("mango") - extend(): The extend() method adds elements from another list (or any iterable) to the current list.pythonCopy code
veggies = ["carrot", "potato"] fruits.extend(veggies) - remove(): The remove() method removes the specified item from the list.pythonCopy code
fruits.remove("apple") - pop(): The pop() method removes the specified index or the last item if the index is not specified.pythonCopy code
fruits.pop(1) - sort(): The sort() method sorts the list.pythonCopy code
fruits.sort() - reverse(): The reverse() method reverses the current sorting order of the elements.pythonCopy code
fruits.reverse()
Conclusion
Lists in Python provide us with a flexible and powerful tool for data manipulation. They are one of the simplest and most common data structures in Python, and understanding how to use them is a critical skill for any Python programmer. In the next tutorial, we’ll dive deeper into Python’s other data structures. Until then, keep practicing, and happy coding!