Python Array vs List

Python arrays and Python lists are two components of python programming which collects several items. There are some similarities and differences between these components. In this lesson, we will focus on Python array vs List and we will learn these similarities and differences.

Similarities of Python Arrays and Lists

First of all, let’s start to Python array vs List with the similarities of these two components.

Python arrays and python lists both are used to store data. We can store various data with these components. Both of these components are mutable and they can be sliced, indexed and iterated.

• Both stores various data
• Both are mutable
• Both can be sliced
• Both can be indexed and iterated

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Python array vs List: Differences

How about the differences? The differences of python lists and arrays are more important than their similarities. Because, these differences determine the areas that we use them.

When we check Python array versus list, the first difference is about collected data types. Although python Lists collects items of multiple data types, python arrays collect items of the same data type.

Lists uses more memory than arrays. But we can easily modify a list. They are flexible components. This is not easy with arrays because arrays are not flexible.

In a list we do not need to have a specific loop to access the list components. But in array we need a loop to access the components of the array.

List are good for shorter sequence of data. But arrays are better for longer sequence of data.

Here, we have talked about the similarities and the differences of python arrays and python lists we have compared Python array vs List. You will use these differences a lot in python programming.

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