🐍
Master Python Lists
(In Minutes!)
Your Ultimate Cheat Sheet
for Python Lists & Operations
✅ Quickly understand lists, slicing, loops…
✅ Perfect for beginners and intermediate programmers
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🧱 1. Create Lists
# Empty list
a = []
# List with elements
b = [1, 2, 3, "hello", 4.5, True]
# From another iterable
c = list(range(5)) # [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
d = list((1, 2, 3)) # [1, 2, 3]
📥 2. Access Elements
my_list = [10, 20, 30, 40, 50]
# first element
my_list[0] # 10
# last element
my_list[-1] # 50
# slice from index 1 up to (but not
including) 4
my_list[1:4] # [20, 30, 40]
# reversed list using slicing
my_list[::-1] # [50, 40, 30, 20, 10]
✏️ 3. Modify Elements
my_list = [10, 20, 30, 40, 50]
my_list[1] = 200
# Changes the element at index 1 (second
element) from 20 → 200
my_list[2:4] = [300, 400]
# Replaces elements at index 2 and 3
(30, 40) → 300, 400
print(my_list) # Output: [10, 200, 300,
400, 50]
➕ 4. Add Elements
my_list = [10, 200, 300, 400, 50]
my_list.append(60)
# add at end
my_list.insert(2, 25)
# add at index 2
my_list.extend([70, 80, 90])
# add multiple at end
print(my_list)
# Output: [10, 200, 25, 300, 400, 50,
60, 70, 80, 90]
➖ 5. Remove Elements
my_list = [10, 200, 300, 400, 50]
my_list.remove(200) # remove value
my_list.pop() # remove last
my_list.pop(1) # remove by index
del my_list[0] # delete by index
del my_list[1:3] # delete slice
my_list.clear() # remove all
🔍 6. Search / Check
nums = [10, 20, 30, 20]
20 in nums # True
[Link](20) # 2
[Link](30) # 2
⚙️ 7. Sort and Reverse
nums = [3, 1, 4, 2]
[Link]()
# sort ascending in-place
[Link](reverse=True)
# sort descending in-place
[Link]()
# reverse in-place
new_list = sorted(nums)
# returns a new sorted list
🔁 8. Looping
for item in nums:
# simple loop
print(item)
for i, val in enumerate(nums):
# index + value
print(i, val)
🧮 9. Mathematical Operations
(with numbers)
nums = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
sum(nums) # 15
max(nums) # 5
min(nums) # 1
len(nums) # 5
🧩 10. Copy and Combine
a = [1, 2]
b = [3, 4]
a + b # concatenate -> [1,2,3,4]
a * 2 # repeat -> [1,2,1,2]
copy = [Link]() # shallow copy
# For deep copying nested lists:
import copy
deep = [Link](nested_list)
🧠 11. List Comprehensions
# simple
squares = [x**2 for x in range(5)]
# with condition
evens = [x for x in range(10) if x % 2
== 0]
# with if-else
labels = ["even" if x%2==0 else "odd"
for x in range(6)]
# flatten 2D list
matrix = [[1,2], [3,4]]
flat = [v for row in matrix for v in
row]
# nested with condition
pairs = [(i,j) for i in range(3) for j
in range(3) if i!=j]
🗂️ 12. Nested Lists
# 2D list (list of lists)
matrix = [
[1, 2, 3],
[4, 5, 6]
]
matrix[0][1] # access element → 2
matrix[1]
# access entire second row → [4, 5, 6]
🧰 13. Useful Built-in Functions
& Tools
Function / Tool Purpose / Example
len(lst) length
sum(lst) sum numeric elements
sorted(lst) sorted copy
any(lst) True if any truthy
all(lst) True if all truthy
reversed(lst) iterator reversing list
zip(...) combine elementwise
enumerate(...) index + element
Function / Tool Purpose / Example
map(func, seq) apply function lazily
(wrap with list() to get
list)
filter(pred, seq) filter items (wrap with
list())
reduce (functools) accumulate/reduce to
single value
id(obj) identity (memory
address)
type(obj) type of object
dir(obj) list attributes/methods
help(obj) get documentation
isinstance(x, type) type check
Examples:
list(map(str, [1,2,3]))
# ['1','2','3']
list(filter(lambda x: x>2, [1,2,3,4]))
# [3,4]
id(a), type(a)
dir(list) # show list methods
help([Link])
isinstance([1,2], list) # True
🔁 14. Operators on Lists
●+ concatenates lists.
●* repeats a list.
●in / not in membership tests.
●== / != compare element-wise
equality (order & values).
●<, >, <=, >= lexicographical
comparisons (compare elements
left-to-right).
Example: [1, 2] < [1, 3] → True because
2 < 3 at first differing index.
●is / is not check identity (same object).
Examples:
[1,2] + [3] # [1,2,3]
[1]*3 # [1,1,1]
2 in [1,2,3] # True
[1,2] == [1,2] # True
a = [1,2]; b = a; a is b # True
# '-' not supported for lists
# use list comprehension to remove items
a = [1, 2, 3, 4]
to_remove = [2, 4]
result = [x for x in a if x not in
to_remove] # [1, 3]
🧪 15. Conversion
tuple(my_list)
# list → tuple
set(my_list)
# list → set (removes duplicates, no
order)
",".join(["a", "b", "c"])
# list → string 'a,b,c'
list(map(int, "1 2 3".split()))
# string → list of ints [1, 2, 3]
🔬 16. Identity vs Equality,
Shallow vs Deep Copy
●a == b checks equality of contents.
●a is b checks whether they are the
same object.
●copy() / slicing (lst[:]) create shallow
copies; nested objects still shared.
●[Link]() creates an
independent copy recursively.
🧭 17. Small Advanced Hints
●map() and filter() return iterators in
Python 3 → use list() to convert.
●Use itertools for infinite sequences,
combinations, permutations, product,
accumulate.
●For element-wise math on lists, use
numpy arrays or list comprehensions.
🏁 That’s a Wrap!
💡 You just mastered everything
●
about Python Lists — in minutes!
From creation ➡️ slicing ➡️ loops ➡️
comprehensions ➡️ and beyond.
📘 Keep this cheat sheet handy
●
— it’s your mini reference for
interviews, projects, and coding
sessions.
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