python: data structure-list

•  
• List is a collection which is ordered and changeable. Allows duplicate members.
• Tuple is a collection which is ordered and unchangeable. Allows duplicate members.
• Set is a collection which is unordered and unindexed. No duplicate members.
• Dictionary is a collection which is unordered, changeable and indexed. No duplicate members.
• In Python lists are written with square brackets.

 

• to creat a list:

aList =['a','b','c']

>>> aList
['a','b','c']

>>> aList[0]
'a'

# or use list constructor list()

aList=list(('a','b','c'))

• loop through a list; check if a list has a cerntain item:

aList =['a','b','c']
for cha in aList:
    print(cha)
if 'c' in aList:
    print("Yes")

• length of a list: 

>>> len(aList)
3

• add an item to the list:

>>> aList.append('d')

• remove an item from the list:

>>> aList.remove('d')

• remove an item at the specific index:

>>> del aList[0]

>>> del aList

• remove the specific index item or the last item if the index is not specified:

>>> aList.pop(1)

>>> aList.pop()

• empty a list:

>>> aList.clear

• it's not recommended to use list for collecting different attributes of individual items, instead, for this case, tuple, named tuple, dictionaries and objects would be more suitable.
• method sort() can be used to sort the elements in the list.
• method __lt__ (lt: less than)