The Difference Between Append and Extend in Python: An SEO Article
Introduction
Python is a popular high-level programming language that is widely used for developing various applications, ranging from web development to scientific computing. Python has a number of built-in data structures that make it easy to work with data, including lists. Lists are mutable data structures that can hold a collection of elements, which can be of any data type. Two important methods that can be used to modify lists in Python are append and extend. Although both methods are used to add elements to a list, there is a significant difference between them. In this SEO article, we will discuss the difference between append and extend in Python.
Append in Python
The append() method is used to add an element to the end of a list. Here is a simple example:
“`
my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4]
my_list.append(5)
print(my_list)
“`
Output:
“`
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
“`
As you can see, the append() method adds the number 5 to the end of the list. If we want to add another list to the end of our original list, we can use the append() method as follows:
“`
my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4]
new_list = [5, 6, 7]
my_list.append(new_list)
print(my_list)
“`
Output:
“`
[1, 2, 3, 4, [5, 6, 7]]
“`
As you can see, the append() method adds the new list as a single item to the original list.
Extend in Python
The extend() method is used to add multiple elements to the end of a list. Here is a simple example:
“`
my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4]
my_list.extend([5, 6, 7])
print(my_list)
“`
Output:
“`
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
“`
As you can see, the extend() method adds each element in the list [5, 6, 7] to the end of the original list.
Difference between Append and Extend
The main difference between append() and extend() is that append() adds a single element to the end of a list, while extend() adds multiple elements to the end of a list. Also, when we use the append() method to add another list to the end of our original list, the original list will contain the new list as a single item. On the other hand, when we use the extend() method to add another list to the end of our original list, the elements of the new list will be added individually to the original list.
Conclusion
In conclusion, append() and extend() are important methods in Python for modifying lists. Although both methods are used to add elements to a list, there is a significant difference between them. By understanding the difference between the two methods, you can choose the method that suits your needs best while working with lists in Python.
Table difference between append and extend in python
| Append | Extend |
|---|---|
| Appends a single element to the end of a list. | Extends the list by appending multiple elements from an iterable. |
| Modifies the list in place. | Modifies the list in place. |
| Can only append one element at a time. | Can append multiple elements at a time. |
| Returns None. | Returns None. |