list() List constructor
Last updated: 2026-09-22
list() List constructor
list() creates a mutable list; with no args returns []; with an iterable returns a list of its items.
| Category | Built-in Functions |
|---|---|
| Kind | Built-in Function |
| Python Version | all |
📝 Syntax
list([iterable])⚙️ Parameters
| iterable Optional | An iterable; omitted to get an empty list.（Default：None） |
|---|
Returns：A new list: [] with no args, or a list of the iterable's items.
💥 Raises
TypeError— Raised when the argument is not iterable.
▶ Example
Edit the code, press Run, and see the result in the output panel:
Output：
['a', 'b', 'c']
[0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
[10, 20]🏷️ Related Built-in Functions
💡 Related Cases
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❓ FAQ
QWhat does list('abc') return?
AIt returns ['a', 'b', 'c'] — list() expands any iterable element by element, splitting a string into its characters.
QWhat is the difference between list(a) and a[:]?
ABoth are shallow copies that produce a new list; their elements are the same objects, so nested mutable objects (like a sub-list) remain shared references and changes affect both.
QWhat is list(range(5))?
AIt gives [0, 1, 2, 3, 4] — converting the lazy range object into a real list that you can then modify.
QWhat does list() return with no arguments?
AIt returns an empty list [].
