How to Convert Set to List Python: Methods

Suppose you have a set and want to convert it to a list then how you perform. There are many methods for it. In this tutorial, you will learn some of the methods to Convert Set to List Python.

What is Set in Python?

In Python, a set is an unordered collection of unique elements. It is defined by enclosing elements within curly braces {}. Sets are useful when you want to store distinct items. It can perform various operations such as union, intersection, and difference.

Characteristics of Sets

1. Uniqueness: Sets only contain unique elements. If you try to add duplicate items to a set, they will be automatically removed.
2. Unordered: Sets do not preserve the order in which elements are added. When you iterate over a set, the order of items may vary.
3. Mutable: You can add or remove elements from a set after it is created. This allows for flexible manipulation of the set’s contents.
4. Hashable elements: Set elements must be hashable, which means they should have a unique hash value. Immutable types like integers, strings, and tuples are hashable, but lists and dictionaries are not.

What is a List in Python?

A list is an ordered collection of elements. It is defined by enclosing elements within square brackets []. Lists are one of the most commonly used data structures in Python due to their flexibility and usefulness.

Lists in Python have the following characteristics.

1. Ordered: Lists preserve the order of elements as they are added. When you iterate over a list, you can expect the elements to be in the same order as they were inserted.
2. Allow duplicates: Lists can contain duplicate elements. Unlike sets, which only store unique items, lists can have multiple elements of the same value.
3. Mutable: Lists are mutable, meaning you can modify elements, add new elements, or remove existing elements from a list.
4. Indexing and slicing: Lists support indexing and slicing operations, that allow you to access individual elements or sublists within a list. This makes lists a powerful tool for data manipulation.

Why to Convert Set to List Python?

There are various scenarios where you may want to convert a set to a list in Python. Below are a few reasons:

1. Preserving element order: Sets do not maintain the order of elements, while lists do. By converting a set to a list, you can retain the original order of the items, which can be important in certain applications.
2. Removing duplicates: Sets automatically remove duplicate items, as they only store unique elements. If you have a set with duplicate values and you want to eliminate them, converting the set to a list will give you the desired unique elements.
3. Performing list-specific operations: Lists have a wide range of built-in operations and methods that sets do not have. By converting a set to a list, you can leverage these additional functionalities such as indexing, slicing, sorting, and more.
4. Interfacing with other code: Sometimes, you might have a function or a piece of code that expects a list as input, but you only have a set. In such cases, converting the set to a list allows you to work with the existing code.

Methods to Convert Set to List in Python

Let’s know all the methods that you will use to convert set to list in Python.

Method 1: Using the list() function

The list() function can convert any iterable, including sets, into a list. You have to just pass the set as an argument to the list() function. It will return a list with the same elements.

my_set = {'apple', 'banana', 'cherry'}
my_list = list(my_set)
print(my_list)

Output

['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']

Method 2: Using list comprehension

List comprehension is a way to create and transform lists in Python. It is just like a for loop. You can use list comprehension to convert a set to a list in a single line of code.

my_set = {'apple', 'banana', 'cherry'}
my_list = [item for item in my_set]
print(my_list)

Output

['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']

Method 3: Using typecasting

Python allows typecasting. Here you can directly convert one data type to another. Using typecasting, you can convert a set to a list by enclosing the set within the list() function.

my_set = {'apple', 'banana', 'cherry'}
my_list = list(my_set)
print(my_list )

Output

['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']

Conclusion

Sometimes you want to include duplicates in the set then you have to convert it to a list. You also have to preserve the order of the sets. Thus you have to use the above methods to Convert Set to List Python. You can use any of them at per convenience.