How To Convert String To List Of Characters In Python

In this tutorial, we will learn how to convert a string into a list of characters in Python. Python provides built-in functions and methods, such as the list() function and for loop, that can be used to achieve this conversion in a very simple and efficient way.

Step 1: Using the list() function

The list() function is a common and efficient way to convert a string into a list of characters. By simply passing the string as an argument to the list() function, you can easily create a list of all the characters in the string.

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string = "Hello, World!"
char_list = list(string)
print(char_list)
 
['H', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', ',', ' ', 'W', 'o', 'r', 'l', 'd', '!']

Step 2: Using a for loop

You can also convert a string to a list of characters by iterating over the string using a for loop and appending each character to a new list.

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string = "Hello, World!"
char_list = []
 
for char in string:
    char_list.append(char)
 
print(char_list)
 
['H', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', ',', ' ', 'W', 'o', 'r', 'l', 'd', '!']

Step 3: Using a List Comprehension

A more concise way to achieve the same result is by using a list comprehension. List comprehensions are a neat and efficient way to create a list by applying a single-line expression to each element in an existing list or other iterable objects. In this case, you can create a list of characters from the string by using a single list comprehension.

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string = "Hello, World!"
char_list = [char for char in string]
print(char_list)
 
['H', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', ',', ' ', 'W', 'o', 'r', 'l', 'd', '!']

Full Code

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# Using the list() function
string = "Hello, World!"
char_list = list(string)
print(char_list)
 
# Using a for loop
string = "Hello, World!"
char_list = []
for char in string:
    char_list.append(char)
print(char_list)
 
# Using a List Comprehension
string = "Hello, World!"
char_list = [char for char in string]
print(char_list)

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we learned three different ways to convert a string into a list of characters in Python: by using the list() function, a for loop, and list comprehension. Each of these methods provides its own advantages and can be used based on the specific requirements and preferences of the developer.