How to Print a List in Python

Learn how to print lists in Python with this easy-to-follow guide. Understand the basics of lists and printing in Python, and get hands-on experience with practical code examples.| …

Updated July 14, 2023

|Learn how to print lists in Python with this easy-to-follow guide. Understand the basics of lists and printing in Python, and get hands-on experience with practical code examples.|

What is Printing a List in Python?

Before we dive into the details, let’s define what it means to print a list in Python.

In Python, printing refers to the process of outputting text or data to the screen. Lists are a fundamental data structure in Python that allows you to store and manipulate collections of values. So, printing a list in Python essentially means displaying the contents of a list on the console.

Why Print Lists?

There are several reasons why you might want to print lists:

Debugging: Printing lists can help you debug your code by visualizing the data as it flows through your program.
Data Visualization: Printing lists can be used to create simple visualizations of data, especially when working with small datasets.
User Feedback: Printing lists can provide user feedback in interactive programs, such as displaying a list of options or results.

How to Print Lists

Printing lists is straightforward in Python. You can use the built-in print() function along with the list object.

Here’s an example:

# Define a list of fruits
fruits = ['Apple', 'Banana', 'Cherry']

# Print the list
print(fruits)

When you run this code, it will output: [ 'Apple', 'Banana', 'Cherry' ]

Printing Lists with Custom Formatting

If you want to print lists in a more custom format, you can use string formatting techniques. Here’s an example:

# Define a list of fruits and their prices
fruits = [
    {'name': 'Apple', 'price': 1.99},
    {'name': 'Banana', 'price': 0.49},
    {'name': 'Cherry', 'price': 2.99}
]

# Print the list with custom formatting
print('Fruit\tPrice')
for fruit in fruits:
    print(f'{fruit["name"]}\t{fruit["price"]:.2f}')

This code will output:

Fruit Price Apple 1.99 Banana 0.49 Cherry 2.99

Conclusion