4 ways to copy a list in Python

In Python, there are several ways to make a copy of a list. But it is important to understand the difference between a shallow copy and a deep copy.

original = [1, 2, [3, 4]]

# 1. Slice (shallow copy)
copy1 = original[:]

# 2. .copy() method (shallow copy)
copy2 = original.copy()

# 3. Using list() (shallow copy)
copy3 = list(original)

# 4. deepcopy (deep copy)
import copy
copy4 = copy.deepcopy(original)

Now let's check the difference between shallow and deep copy:

original[2].append(5)
print(copy1)
# [1, 2, [3, 4, 5]] — nested list changed!
print(copy4)
# [1, 2, [3, 4]] — unchanged

🚀 Roadmap to Master Python Programming 🔰

📂 Python Fundamentals
 ∟📂 Learn Syntax, Variables & Data Types
  ∟📂 Master Control Flow & Functions
   ∟📂 Practice with Simple Projects

📂 Intermediate Concepts
 ∟📂 Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
  ∟📂 Work with Modules & Packages
   ∟📂 Understand Exception Handling & File I/O

📂 Data Structures & Algorithms
 ∟📂 Lists, Tuples, Dictionaries & Sets
  ∟📂 Algorithms & Problem Solving
   ∟📂 Master Recursion & Iteration

📂 Python Libraries & Tools
 ∟📂 Get Comfortable with Pip & Virtual Environments
  ∟📂 Learn NumPy & Pandas for Data Handling
   ∟📂 Explore Matplotlib & Seaborn for Visualization

📂 Web Development with Python
 ∟📂 Understand Flask & Django Frameworks
  ∟📂 Build RESTful APIs
   ∟📂 Integrate Front-End & Back-End

📂 Advanced Topics
 ∟📂 Concurrency: Threads & Asyncio
  ∟📂 Learn Testing with PyTest
   ∟📂 Dive into Design Patterns

📂 Projects & Real-World Applications
 ∟📂 Build Command-Line Tools & Scripts
  ∟📂 Contribute to Open-Source
   ∟📂 Showcase on GitHub & Portfolio

📂 Interview Preparation & Job Hunting
 ∟📂 Solve Python Coding Challenges
  ∟📂 Master Data Structures & Algorithms Interviews
   ∟📂 Network & Apply for Python Roles

✅️ Happy Coding

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