{"id":621,"date":"2020-10-17T10:51:53","date_gmt":"2020-10-17T10:51:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/?page_id=621"},"modified":"2025-03-27T03:05:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T03:05:28","slug":"python-symmetric-difference","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-basics\/python-symmetric-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Python Symmetric Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summary<\/strong>: in this tutorial, you’ll learn how to find the symmetric difference between two or more sets in Python.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction to the symmetric difference of sets #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The symmetric difference between two sets<\/a> is a set of elements that are in either set, but not in their intersection<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suppose that you have the following s1<\/code> and s2<\/code> sets:<\/p>\n\n\n

s1 = {'Python'<\/span>, 'Java'<\/span>, 'C++'<\/span>}\ns2 = {'C#'<\/span>, 'Java'<\/span>, 'C++'<\/span>}<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The symmetric difference of the s1<\/code> and s2<\/code> sets returns in the following set:<\/p>\n\n\n
{'C#'<\/span>, 'Python'<\/span>}<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
As you can see clearly from the output, the elements in the return set are either in s1<\/code> or s2<\/code> set, but not in their intersection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following Venn diagram illustrates the symmetric difference of the s1<\/code> and s2<\/code> sets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Python<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
In Python, you can find the symmetric difference of two or more sets by using the set symmetric_difference()<\/code> method or the symmetric difference operator (^<\/code>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using the symmetric_difference() method to find the symmetric difference of sets #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Set<\/code> type has the symmetric_difference()<\/code> method that returns the symmetric difference of two or more sets:<\/p>\n\n\n
new_set = set1.symmetric_difference(set2, set3,...)<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
For example, the following finds the symmetric difference of the s1<\/code> and s2<\/code> sets:<\/p>\n\n\n
s1 = {'Python'<\/span>, 'Java'<\/span>, 'C++'<\/span>}\ns2 = {'C#'<\/span>, 'Java'<\/span>, 'C++'<\/span>}\n\ns = s1.symmetric_difference(s2)\n\nprint<\/span>(s)<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Output:<\/p>\n\n\n
{'C#'<\/span>, 'Python'<\/span>}<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Note that the symmetric_difference()<\/code> method returns a new set and doesn’t modify the original sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using the symmetric difference operator(^) to find the symmetric difference of sets #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Besides using the set symmetric_difference()<\/code> method, you can use the symmetric difference operator (^<\/code>) to find the symmetric difference between two or more sets:<\/p>\n\n\n
new_set = set1 ^ set2 ^...<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
The following example shows how to apply the symmetric difference operator (^<\/code>) to the s1<\/code> and s2<\/code> sets:<\/p>\n\n\n
s1 = {'Python'<\/span>, 'Java'<\/span>, 'C++'<\/span>}\ns2 = {'C#'<\/span>, 'Java'<\/span>, 'C++'<\/span>}\n\ns = s1 ^ s2\n\nprint<\/span>(s)<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Output:<\/p>\n\n\n
{'Python'<\/span>, 'C#'<\/span>}\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The symmetric_difference() method vs symmetric difference operator (^) #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The symmetric_difference()<\/code> method accepts one or more iterables<\/a> that can be strings<\/a>, lists<\/a>, or dictionaries<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the iterables aren’t sets, the method will convert them to sets before returning the symmetric difference of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following example shows how to use the symmetric_difference()<\/code> method to find the symmetric difference between a set and a list:<\/p>\n\n\n
scores = {7<\/span>, 8<\/span>, 9<\/span>}\nratings = [8<\/span>, 9<\/span>, 10<\/span>]\nnew_set = scores.symmetric_difference(ratings)\n\nprint<\/span>(new_set)<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Output:<\/p>\n\n\n
{10, 7}<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
However, the symmetric difference operator (^<\/code>) only applies to sets. If you use it with the iterables which aren’t sets, you’ll get an error. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n
scores = {7<\/span>, 8<\/span>, 9<\/span>}\nratings = [8<\/span>, 9<\/span>, 10<\/span>]\nnew_set = scores ^ ratings\n\nprint<\/span>(new_set)<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> PHP<\/span> (<\/span>php<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Error:<\/p>\n\n\n
TypeError<\/span>: unsupported operand type(s) for<\/span> ^: 'set'<\/span> and 'list'<\/span><\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> JavaScript<\/span> (<\/span>javascript<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Summary #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Try it<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try it<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try it<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try it<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n