Python offers a wide range of built-in methods that can be used to operate on lists and efficiently utilize their functionality. The table below covers all the crucial list methods you’ll need to know in order to deal with lists effectively!

Name

Syntax

Explanation

Append

list.append(x)

Adds element x to the end of the list.

Extend

list.extend(iterable)

Appends elements from the iterable to the end of the list.

Insert

list.insert(i, x)

Inserts element x at index i in the list.

Remove

list.remove(x)

Removes the first occurrence of element x from the list.

Pop

list.pop([i])

Removes and returns the element at index i, or the last element if i is not specified.

Clear

list.clear()

Removes all elements from the list.

Index

list.index(x)

Returns the index of the first occurrence of element x.

Count

list.count(x)

Returns the number of occurrences of element x in the list.

Sort

list.sort(*, key=None, reverse=False)

Sorts the elements of the list in ascending order.

Reverse

list.reverse()

Reverses the order of elements in the list.

Copy

list.copy()

Returns a shallow copy of the list.

List methods and code examples

Let’s take a look at coding snippets for each of the methods mentioned above.

The list.append(x) method

In the code snippet below, we use the append() method on python_versions and add “Python 3.11” to the list.

python_versions = ["Python 2", "Python 3"]
python_versions.append("Python 3.11")
print(python_versions)

The list.extend(iterable) method

In this snippet, we utilize the extend() method on python_modules to add elements from additional_modules to the list.

python_modules = ["NumPy", "Pandas"]
additional_modules = ["Matplotlib", "scikit-learn"]
python_modules.extend(additional_modules)
print(python_modules)

The list.insert(index, i) method

Here, the insert() method is applied to programming_languages, inserting "C++" at index 1.

programming_languages = ["C", "Java", "Python", "Ruby"]
programming_languages.insert(1, "C++")
print(programming_languages)

The list.remove(x) method

In the code below, we utilize the remove() method on frameworks to remove the first occurrence of “Flask” from the list.

frameworks = ["Django", "Flask", "Pyramid", "Flask"]
frameworks.remove("Flask")

The list.pop(index) method

In the following code snippet, the pop() method is applied to web_frameworks, removing the element at index 2 and storing it in removed_framework.

web_frameworks = ["Django", "Flask", "Pyramid", "FastAPI"]
removed_framework = web_frameworks.pop(2)
print(web_frameworks)

The list.clear() method

In the following snippet, the clear() method is used on scripting_languages to remove all elements from the list.

scripting_languages = ["Python", "Ruby", "Perl"]
scripting_languages.clear()
print(scripting_languages)

The list.index(x) method

This code snippet demonstrates the use of the index() method on languages to find the index of the first occurrence of “Python” in the list.

languages = ["C", "C++", "Python", "Java", "Python"]
python_index = languages.index("Python")
print(python_index)

The list.count(x) method

In the code below, the count() method is applied to version_numbers to count the occurrences of the value 3.

version_numbers = [2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3]
python3_count = version_numbers.count(3)
print(python3_count)

The list.sort(*, key=None, reverse=False) method

Here, the sort method is used on numeric_versions to sort the list in ascending order.

numeric_versions = [2.7, 3.0, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9]
numeric_versions.sort()
print(numeric_versions)

The list.reverse() method

In the following code snippet, the reverse() method is applied to libraries to reverse the order of its elements.

libraries = ["NumPy", "Pandas", "Matplotlib", "Scikit-Learn"]
libraries.reverse()
print(libraries)

The list.copy() method

This snippet demonstrates the use of the copy() method to create a new list (copied_list) that is a copy of the original list (original_list).

original_list = ["Python", "is", "so" , "cool"]
copied_list = original_list.copy()
print(copied_list)