In Python, a list is a data structure that can store multiple values of different types in a sequential order. An empty list is a list that contains no elements or items. It is a falsy value.
This short article will show you the most three common ways to check whether a list is empty or not in Python.
Using the len() function
The idea here is simple: use the len()
function to check the length of the list. If the length is 0
, then the list is empty.
Example:
# Create an empty list
my_list = []
# Check if the list is empty using the len() function
if len(my_list) == 0:
print("The list is empty")
else:
print("The list is not empty")
Output:
The list is empty
Using the not operator
You can use the not
operator to check the emptiness of a list. This operator returns True
if its operand is a falsy value, and False
if its operand is a truthy value. As mentioned earlier, an empty list is a falsy value in Python, which means that it evaluates to False
in a boolean context. Thus, using the not operator on an empty list will return True
.
Example:
# create an empty list
my_list = []
# check if the list is empty using the not operator
if not my_list:
print("The list is empty")
else:
print("The list is not empty")
Output:
The list is empty
Using the == operator
The third solution is to compare your list with an empty list ([]
] by using the ==
operator as shown in the example below:
my_list = []
if my_list == []:
print("List is empty")
else:
print("List is not empty")
Output:
List is empty