This post will discuss how to copy a list in Python.

This article explores different ways to perform generic shallow copy operation in Python. A shallow copy means that if the elements of the original list are mutable objects themselves (such as other lists), modifying them will also affect the copied list.

1. Using copy() function

The standard solution to return a shallow copy of the list is with the built-in copy() function. This function is available for lists, sets, and dictionaries.

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2. Using slicing technique

Another preferred fast way to create a shallow copy of a list is to use the slicing technique [:]. This will create a new list object that contains all the elements of the original list. A slice of the entire list l[:] is essentially the same as doing l.copy().

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3. Using List Constructor

You can also copy a list by using the list() constructor function. This will create a new list object from an iterable object (such as another list). For example:

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4. Using copy.copy() function

Another way to copy a Python list is to use the copy.copy() function from the copy module. The copy module provides routines for shallow and deep copy operations. The copy.copy() function will create a new list object that is a shallow copy of the original list. If you want to create a deep copy of the original list, use the copy.deepcopy() function instead. For example:

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5. Using extend() function

Finally, you can use the extend() function to copy a list. The x.extend(y) function or x += y syntax extends the list x with the contents of y. Following is a simple example demonstrating this:

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That’s all about copying a list in Python. Please refer to this post for performing a deep copy of a list.