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Python List pop() Method

How to use Python's list.pop() method to remove and return an item at a specified index, including handling default behavior, negative indices, and avoiding IndexError exceptions.

The List pop() method removes a single item of the at specified index and returns it.

Syntax

my_list.pop(index)

pop() Parameters

Python List pop() method parameters::

Parameter Condition Description
index Optional An index of item you want to remove. Default value is -1

pop() Return Value

Python List pop() method returns the item removed at the given index.

Examples

Example 1: Remove an Element at the given index from a List with pop()

The pop() method removes an element in a specified position.

names = ['Tom', 'Anna', 'David', 'Ryan']
removed = names.pop(0) # remove first element from the list

print(names)   # Output: ['Anna', 'David', 'Ryan']
print(removed) # Output: Tom

output

['Anna', 'David', 'Ryan']
Tom

Example 2: Remove an Element with Negative Index

You can also use negative indexing with pop() method.

names = ['Tom', 'Anna', 'David', 'Ryan']
removed = names.pop(-3) # negative index

print(names)   # Output: ['Tom', 'David', 'Ryan']
print(removed) # Output: Anna

output

['Tom', 'David', 'Ryan']
Anna

Example 3: Remove an Element without an index

When you don't specify the index on pop(), the default value -1 is used and so it removes the last item.

names = ['Tom', 'Anna', 'David', 'Ryan']
removed = names.pop() # use default value -1

print(names)   # Output: ['Tom', 'Anna', 'David']
print(removed) # Output: Ryan

output

['Tom', 'Anna', 'David']
Ryan

Example 4: Remove an Element with Index Out of Bound

If the index passed to the pop() method is not in range, it throws IndexError (pop index out of range exception).

names = ['Tom', 'Anna', 'David', 'Ryan']
removed = names.pop(10)

output

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "main.py", line 2, in <module>
    removed = names.pop(10)
IndexError: pop index out of range

A possible safe solution is to check if the index to pop is inside the bounds:

my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
index_to_pop = 5 # This index is out of range

if 0 <= index_to_pop < len(my_list):
    popped_item = my_list.pop(index_to_pop)
    print("Popped item:", popped_item)
else:
    print("Index out of range. Can not pop from an empty list or an index that does not exist.")

print("List after attempted pop:", my_list)

output

Index out of range. Can not pop from an empty list or an index that does not exist.
List after attempted pop: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
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