ChrisArticle summary: Here’s a quick visual overview of the contents of this tutorial. Flat List: To sum over a list of numbers in a single line of Python code, use Python’s built-in function sum(list). Nested List: To sum over a list of lists in one line Python, use a generator expression to flatten the list … Read more
What is the output of this code snippet? Recursion is a powerful tool in your coding toolbox. Understanding it is a key skill on your path to mastery. Stephen Hawking used a concise explanation: “to understand recursion, one must first understand recursion.” This puzzle uses indirect recursion where a function f calls a function g … Read more
Problem: Given two variables a and b. Use a single line of Python code to swap the variables to assign the value of a to b and the value of b to a. Example: Say, you have to integers a=21 and b=42. You want to swap the variables so that a=42 and b=21. How to … Read more
Problem: How to perform one-line if conditional assignments in Python? Example: Say, you start with the following code. You want to set the value of x to 42 if boo is True, and do nothing otherwise. Let’s dive into the different ways to accomplish this in Python. We start with an overview: Exercise: Run the … Read more
Do you want to one-linerize the append() method in Python? I feel you—writing short and concise one-liners can be an addiction! 🙂 This article will teach you all the ways to append one or more elements to a list in a single line of Python code! Python List Append Let’s quickly recap the append method … Read more
This article answers a number of questions how to accomplish different things with a Python array in one line. By studying these questions, you’ll become a better coder. So, let’s roll up your sleeves and get started! 🙂 Python One Line Print Array If you just want to know the best way to print an … Read more
Problem: Given a JSON object. How to pretty print it from the shell/terminal/command line using a Python one-liner? Minimal Example: You have given the following JSON object: And you want to get the following print output: How to accomplish this using a Python one-liner? Method 0: Python Program + json.dump The default way to accomplish … Read more
Problem: How to Parse a JSON object as a Python One-Liner? Example: Say, you have pulled a JSON object from a server using the curl command: Source How to parse the resulting JSON object and extract, say, the value “Netherlands” associated to the “country” key? Solution: The following one-liner accomplishes this: The command consists of … Read more
Problem: How to create a Python object in a single line of code? And how can you associate custom properties to this object in the same line? Example: Say, you want to do something like this pseudocode snippet: However, you cannot do the same in Python because this would create a dictionary: This raises an … Read more
Many Python coders—even at intermediate skill levels—are often puzzled when it comes to the asterisk character in Python. What does it mean? How does it work? What’s it purpose? This article answers all of those questions and more. After studying this article, you will have a solid understanding of the asterisk operator * in Python—and … Read more
How do the Boolean and and or operators work in the context of Python one-liners? You may know the standard use of the logical operators applied to Boolean values: But there’s more to these operators that only experts in the art of writing concise Python one-liners know. For instance, the following use of the or … Read more
This interesting code snippet was brought to my attention by Finxter reader Albrecht. You’d guess that the for loop goes from i=250 to i=259, each time incrementing a and b. As Python creates one integer object to which both names refer, the command a is not b should always be False. Thus, the result is … Read more