Python lists are dynamic, which means you can add new items to them whenever needed. Python provides several built-in methods to add items to a list, including append(), insert(), and extend().

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to use these methods with practical examples.

Using append()

The append() method adds a single item to the end of a list.

Syntax

list_name.append(item)
            

Example

fruits = ["Apple", "Banana", "Mango"] 
fruits.append("Grapes") 
print(fruits)
            

Output:

['Apple', 'Banana', 'Mango', 'Grapes']
            

The new item "Grapes" is added to the end of the list.

Using insert()

The insert() method adds an item at a specific position in the list.

Syntax

list_name.insert(index, item)
            

Example

fruits = ["Apple", "Banana", "Mango"] 
fruits.insert(1, "Orange") 
print(fruits)
            

Output:

['Apple', 'Orange', 'Banana', 'Mango']
            

The item "Orange" is inserted at index 1, and the existing items shift to the right.

Using extend()

The extend() method adds multiple items from another list (or iterable) to the end of the current list.

Syntax

list_name.extend(iterable)
            

Example

fruits = ["Apple", "Banana"] 
fruits.extend(["Orange", "Grapes", "Mango"]) 
print(fruits)
            

Output:

['Apple', 'Banana', 'Orange', 'Grapes', 'Mango']
            

The items from the second list are added to the end of the original list.

Difference Between append() and extend()

Using append()

fruits = ["Apple", "Banana"] 
fruits.append(["Orange", "Grapes"]) 
print(fruits)
            

Output:

['Apple', 'Banana', ['Orange', 'Grapes']]
            

Using extend()

fruits = ["Apple", "Banana"] 
fruits.extend(["Orange", "Grapes"]) 
print(fruits)
            

Output:

['Apple', 'Banana', 'Orange', 'Grapes']
            

append() adds the entire list as a single item, while extend() adds each item individually.