Ultimately it probably doesn't have a safe .get method because a dict is an associative collection (values are associated with names) where it is inefficient to check if a key is present (and return its value) without throwing an exception, while it is super trivial to avoid exceptions accessing list elements (as the len method is very fast). The .get method allows you to query the value associated with a name, not directly access the 37th item in the dictionary (which would be more like what you're asking of your list).
Of course, you can easily implement this yourself:
def safe_list_get (l, idx, default):
try:
return l[idx]
except IndexError:
return default
You could even monkeypatch it onto the __builtins__.list constructor in __main__, but that would be a less pervasive change since most code doesn't use it. If you just wanted to use this with lists created by your own code you could simply subclass list and add the get method.
Python.org
discuss.python.org › ideas
Add safe `.get` method to List - Ideas - Discussions on Python.org
August 29, 2023 - To access an item in a dictionary, ... avoid this, you can use .get and pass in a default value to return instead: d.get("some_key", "default value"). Lists don’t have such a method ......
Top answer 1 of 14
172
Ultimately it probably doesn't have a safe .get method because a dict is an associative collection (values are associated with names) where it is inefficient to check if a key is present (and return its value) without throwing an exception, while it is super trivial to avoid exceptions accessing list elements (as the len method is very fast). The .get method allows you to query the value associated with a name, not directly access the 37th item in the dictionary (which would be more like what you're asking of your list).
Of course, you can easily implement this yourself:
def safe_list_get (l, idx, default):
try:
return l[idx]
except IndexError:
return default
You could even monkeypatch it onto the __builtins__.list constructor in __main__, but that would be a less pervasive change since most code doesn't use it. If you just wanted to use this with lists created by your own code you could simply subclass list and add the get method.
2 of 14
140
This works if you want the first element, like my_list.get(0)
>>> my_list = [1,2,3]
>>> next(iter(my_list), 'fail')
1
>>> my_list = []
>>> next(iter(my_list), 'fail')
'fail'
I know it's not exactly what you asked for but it might help others.
Why no .get(idx[, default]) on python list??
There was a lengthy thread on this on Python-Ideas a couple of years ago: https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-ideas@python.org/thread/LLK3EQ3QWNDB54SEBKJ4XEV4LXP5HVJS/ The clearest explanation of the most common objection was from Marc-Andre Lemburg: dict.get() was added since the lookup is expensive and you want to avoid having to do this twice in the common case where the element does exist. It was not added as a way to hide away an exception, but instead to bypass having to generate this exception in the first place. dict.setdefault() has a similar motivation. list.get() merely safes you a line of code (or perhaps a few more depending on how you format things), hiding away an exception in case the requested index does not exist. If that's all you want, you're better off writing a helper which hides the exception for you. I argue that making it explicit that you're expecting two (or more) different list lengths in your code results in more intuitive and maintainable code, rather than catching IndexErrors (regardless of whether you hide them in a method, a helper, or handle them directly). So this is more than just style, it's about clarity of intent. More on reddit.com
94
144
June 23, 2022Is there some kind of .get() method for a list?
No, because there's no such thing as an index that doesn't exist, if the index is smaller than the length of the list. And you can just check the length of the list. More on reddit.com
7
6
June 28, 2020How can I get a value at any position of a list
I have a numbers added in the list, and want to get a value at a particular number from the list. I tried one = (open(input("Open list: ")).read().splitlines()) list = one print(list) for i in range(len(list)): print(list.index(i)) And I’m getting error ['12026898019', '12024759878', ... More on discuss.python.org
6
0
October 1, 2022Why doesn't python lists have a .find() method?
It actually exists for all iterators, its just called next. next((i for i in users if i['id'] == 2), None) More on reddit.com
55
42
May 6, 2022Videos
16:51
How to Access Lists in Python (Indexing & Slicing Explained) | ...
00:57
How To Get Specific Elements From A List In Python - YouTube
01:21
How to Access values from a List in Python - YouTube
11:36
Python Lists Explained: Tips, Tricks, and Techniques You Need to Know!
05:15
Retrieving Elements From a List (Video) – Real Python
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › python-lists
Python Lists - GeeksforGeeks
Python list slicing is fundamental concept that let us easily access specific elements in a list. In this article, weâll learn the syntax and how to use both positive and negative indexing for slicing with examples.Example: Get the items from a list starting at position 1 and ending at ...
Published June 3, 2025
Programiz
programiz.com › python-programming › list
Python List (With Examples)
December 30, 2025 - Python lists store multiple data together in a single variable. In this tutorial, we will learn about Python lists (creating lists, changing list items, removing items, and other list operations) with the help of examples.
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › python › use-get-method-to-create-a-dictionary-in-python-from-a-list-of-elements
Use get() method to Create a Dictionary in Python from a List of Elements - GeeksforGeeks
July 15, 2025 - If a key appears multiple times ... when accessing dictionary keys. For example, given the list: a = ["apple", "banana", "apple", "orange", "banana", "apple"] then we should create the dictionary: {'apple': 3, 'banana': 2, ...
Reddit
reddit.com › r/python › why no .get(idx[, default]) on python list??
r/Python on Reddit: Why no .get(idx[, default]) on python list??
June 23, 2022 -
Hi all,
today it happened once again that I could really use a .get(idx[, default]) method on python lists. Here is a brief example why it could be useful (I know there are many alternative solutions to this specific problem here, so please focus generally on the idea of .get for lists).
file_name = 'test.png'
if '.' in file_name:
extension = file_name.rsplit('.', maxsplit=1)[1]
else:
extension = ''If we had such a method we could make the code much more concise
file_name = 'test.png'
extension = file_name.rsplit('.', maxsplit=1).get(1, '')I wonder why this useful method does not exist, especially since it is available for dicts.
dd = {'a': 'AAA'}
print(f"{dd['a']}; {dd.get('a')}; {dd.get('c')}; {dd.get('c', 'nothing here')}; ")
# AAA; AAA; None; nothing here;Thoughts / ideas why this is not present? Are there valid reasons not to have this method? Is it not available because someone has to invest the work to code it? How could something like this be initiated? :)
Top answer 1 of 23
155
There was a lengthy thread on this on Python-Ideas a couple of years ago: https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-ideas@python.org/thread/LLK3EQ3QWNDB54SEBKJ4XEV4LXP5HVJS/ The clearest explanation of the most common objection was from Marc-Andre Lemburg: dict.get() was added since the lookup is expensive and you want to avoid having to do this twice in the common case where the element does exist. It was not added as a way to hide away an exception, but instead to bypass having to generate this exception in the first place. dict.setdefault() has a similar motivation. list.get() merely safes you a line of code (or perhaps a few more depending on how you format things), hiding away an exception in case the requested index does not exist. If that's all you want, you're better off writing a helper which hides the exception for you. I argue that making it explicit that you're expecting two (or more) different list lengths in your code results in more intuitive and maintainable code, rather than catching IndexErrors (regardless of whether you hide them in a method, a helper, or handle them directly). So this is more than just style, it's about clarity of intent.
2 of 23
25
In any case it would have ever been helpful for me, there's a better way to do what I was trying to do. In your case you can use os module which I'd argue is a bit more idiomatic. os.path.splitext(file_name)[1].lstrip('.') Or since if I have file paths I ususally like to work with pathlib: Path(file_name).suffix.lstrip('.') Either case makes it very clear what is happening
W3Schools
w3schools.com › python › python_lists.asp
Python Lists
MongoDB Get Started MongoDB Create DB MongoDB Collection MongoDB Insert MongoDB Find MongoDB Query MongoDB Sort MongoDB Delete MongoDB Drop Collection MongoDB Update MongoDB Limit ... Python Overview Python Built-in Functions Python String Methods Python List Methods Python Dictionary Methods Python Tuple Methods Python Set Methods Python File Methods Python Keywords Python Exceptions Python Glossary
Reddit
reddit.com › r/learnpython › is there some kind of .get() method for a list?
Is there some kind of .get() method for a list? : r/learnpython
June 28, 2020 - No need to create the whole list first only to select the first one, you can use next and a generator expression · next(v for v in thelist if v == key) This will stop at the first match · More replies · The way pandas handles missing values is diabolical · r/learnpython • · upvotes · · comments · What should I use instead of 1000 if statements? r/learnpython • · upvotes · · comments · How to learn python fully and master it?
Real Python
realpython.com › python-list
Python's list Data Type: A Deep Dive With Examples – Real Python
October 21, 2023 - In addition, you’ll code some examples that showcase common use cases of lists in Python. They’ll help you understand how to better use lists in your code. To get the most out of this tutorial, you should have a good understanding of core Python concepts, including variables, functions, and for loops.
Python.org
discuss.python.org › python help
How can I get a value at any position of a list - Python Help - Discussions on Python.org
October 1, 2022 - I have a numbers added in the list, and want to get a value at a particular number from the list. I tried one = (open(input("Open list: ")).read().splitlines()) list = one print(list) for i in range(len(list)): …
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › python › python-get-a-list-as-input-from-user
Get a list as input from user in Python - GeeksforGeeks
In Python, getting a list as input means a program should prompt the user to enter multiple values during execution, and these values should be captured and stored in a Python list data structure. input() function can be combined with split() to accept multiple elements in a single line and store them in a list. The split() method separates input based on spaces and returns a list. Example...
Published September 18, 2025
Python documentation
docs.python.org › 3 › tutorial › datastructures.html
5. Data Structures — Python 3.14.6 documentation
This chapter describes some things you’ve learned about already in more detail, and adds some new things as well. More on Lists: The list data type has some more methods. Here are all of the method...
Google
developers.google.com › google for education › python › python lists
Python Lists | Python Education | Google for Developers
If you know what sort of thing is in the list, use a variable name in the loop that captures that information such as "num", or "name", or "url". Since Python code does not have other syntax to remind you of types, your variable names are a key way for you to keep straight what is going on.
Tutorialspoint
tutorialspoint.com › python › python_lists.htm
Python - Lists
A list may have same item at more than one index positions. To access values in lists, use the square brackets for slicing along with the index or indices to obtain value available at that index. For example ...
Quora
quora.com › How-do-I-get-a-specific-item-from-a-list-in-Python
How to get a specific item from a list in Python - Quora
In Python, access an item from a list using indexing. Key points and examples: ... When index is not an integer (e.g., a string key), use a dict instead of a list. These cover the common ways to retrieve a specific item from a Python list. ... To get a specific item from a list in Python, you ...
SheCodes
shecodes.io › athena › 40618-how-to-get-the-value-of-an-element-in-a-list-using-index-function-in-python
[Python] - How to get the value of an element in a list using index() function in Python?
Learn how to retrieve the value of an element in a list using the index() function in Python with this step-by-step guide.
Milliams
milliams.com › courses › beginning_python › Lists.html
Lists - Beginning Python
You see that is printed ['green', 5.3, 'house'] which is index 2 ('green'), index 3 (5.3) and index 4 ('house'). Notice that it did not give us the element at index 5 and that is because with slicing, Python will give you the elements from the starting index up to, but not including, the end index. This can be confusing at first but a trick that I use to keep it straight is to count the commas in the list and treat the indexes as referring to those. So from the example here: ... Edit your script to print various slices of your list. If you get an error printed, make sure you understand what it is telling you.
W3Schools
w3schools.com › python › gloss_python_access_list_items.asp
Python Access List Items
Specify negative indexes if you want to start the search from the end of the list: This example returns the items from index -4 (included) to index -1 (excluded) thislist = ["apple", "banana", "cherry", "orange", "kiwi", "melon", "mango"] ...
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › python › how-to-get-specific-elements-from-list-in-python
How to get specific elements from list in python - GeeksforGeeks
July 23, 2025 - Python · from operator import itemgetter a = [1, 'geeks', 3, 'for', 5] a1 = itemgetter(1, 3)(a) print(a1) Output · ('geeks', 'for') To get the elements based on some condition, you can use List comprehension and filter() method. Let's understand them with help of examples.
Open Book Project
openbookproject.net › thinkcs › python › english3e › lists.html
11. Lists — How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with Python 3
The list that you glue together (wds in this example) is not modified. Also, as these next examples show, you can use empty glue or multi-character strings as glue: >>> " --- ".join(wds) 'The --- rain --- in --- Spain...' >>> "".join(wds) 'TheraininSpain...' Python has a built-in type conversion function called list that tries to turn whatever you give it into a list.