variable = []
Now variable refers to an empty list*.
Of course this is an assignment, not a declaration. There's no way to say in Python "this variable should never refer to anything other than a list", since Python is dynamically typed.
*The default built-in Python type is called a list, not an array. It is an ordered container of arbitrary length that can hold a heterogenous collection of objects (their types do not matter and can be freely mixed). This should not be confused with the array module, which offers a type closer to the C array type; the contents must be homogenous (all of the same type), but the length is still dynamic.
How do I initialize an array in Python with a size?
Can I use Python’s array module for string or object data types?
No, the array module is designed to hold only basic data types like integers, floats, and similar. It does not support strings or objects. For collections of these types, Python’s list or other data structures like tuples or dictionaries are more appropriate.
What are the main differences between Python’s array module and NumPy arrays?
The main differences lie in capabilities and use cases. Python’s array module provides basic functionality for creating compact, type-restricted arrays similar to those in languages like C. On the other hand, NumPy arrays offer advanced features such as support for multidimensional arrays, a vast library of mathematical functions, and performance optimizations through vectorization. NumPy is generally preferred for numerical and scientific computing.
variable = []
Now variable refers to an empty list*.
Of course this is an assignment, not a declaration. There's no way to say in Python "this variable should never refer to anything other than a list", since Python is dynamically typed.
*The default built-in Python type is called a list, not an array. It is an ordered container of arbitrary length that can hold a heterogenous collection of objects (their types do not matter and can be freely mixed). This should not be confused with the array module, which offers a type closer to the C array type; the contents must be homogenous (all of the same type), but the length is still dynamic.
This is surprisingly complex topic in Python.
Practical answer
Arrays are represented by class list (see reference and do not mix them with generators).
Check out usage examples:
# empty array
arr = []
# init with values (can contain mixed types)
arr = [1, "eels"]
# get item by index (can be negative to access end of array)
arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
arr[0] # 1
arr[-1] # 6
# get length
length = len(arr)
# supports append and insert
arr.append(8)
arr.insert(6, 7)
Theoretical answer
Under the hood Python's list is a wrapper for a real array which contains references to items. Also, underlying array is created with some extra space.
Consequences of this are:
- random access is really cheap (
arr[6653]is same toarr[0]) appendoperation is 'for free' while some extra spaceinsertoperation is expensive
Check this awesome table of operations complexity.
Also, please see this picture, where I've tried to show most important differences between array, array of references and linked list:
I started using python a few days ago ( I already studied C before ) and I noticed that python uses Linked Lists by default, is there any way to use arrays and use less memory?