Python Cheat Sheet: Functions and Tricks

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Description Example Result

A map(func, iter) Executes the function on all elements of list(map(​lambda​ x: x[​0​], [​'red'​, [​'r'​, ​'g'​, ​'b'​]
D the iterable 'green'​, ​'blue'​]))
V
A map(func, i1, ..., Executes the function on all k elements of list(map(​lambda​ x, y: str(x) + ​' '​ + [​'0 apples'​, ​'2
ik) the k iterables y + ​'s'​ , [​0​, ​2​, ​2​], [​'apple'​, oranges'​, ​'2
N
C 'orange'​, ​'banana'​])) bananas'​]
E
string.join(iter) Concatenates iterable elements ' marries '​.join(list([​'Alice'​, 'Alice marries Bob'
D separated by ​string 'Bob'​]))

F filter(func, Filters out elements in iterable for which list(filter(​lambda​ x: ​True​ ​if​ x>​17 [​18​]
U iterable) function returns ​False​ ​(or 0) else​ ​False​, [​1​, ​15​, ​17​, ​18​]))
N
C string.strip() Removes leading and trailing print(​" \n \t 42 \t "​.strip()) 42
T whitespaces of string
I
O sorted(iter) Sorts iterable in ascending order sorted([​8​, ​3​, ​2​, ​42​, ​5​]) [​2​, ​3​, ​5​, ​8​, ​42​]
N
sorted(iter, Sorts according to the key function in sorted([​8​, ​3​, 2 ​ ​, ​42​, ​5​], key=​lambda [​42​, ​2​, ​3​, ​5​, ​8​]
S
key=key) ascending order x: ​0​ ​if​ x==​42​ e​ lse​ x)

help(func) Returns documentation of ​func help(str.upper()) '... to uppercase.'

zip(i1, i2, ...) Groups the i-th elements of iterators ​i1, list(zip([​'Alice'​, ​'Anna'​], [​'Bob'​, [(​'Alice'​, ​'Bob'​),
i2, ...​ together 'Jon'​, ​'Frank'​])) (​'Anna'​, ​'Jon'​)]

Unzip Equal to: 1) unpack the zipped list, 2) zip list(zip(*[(​'Alice'​, ​'Bob'​), [(​'Alice'​, ​'Anna'​),
the result (​'Anna'​, ​'Jon'​)])) (​'Bob'​, ​'Jon'​)]

enumerate(iter) Assigns a counter value to each element list(enumerate([​'Alice'​, ​'Bob'​, [(​0​, ​'Alice'​), (​1​,
of the iterable 'Jon'​])) 'Bob'​), (​2​, ​'Jon'​)]

T python -m http.server Want to share files between PC and phone? Run this command in PC’s shell. <P> is any port number 0–65535. Type <
R <P> IP address of PC>:<P> in the phone’s browser. You can now browse the files in the PC directory.
I
C Read comic import​ antigravity Open the comic series xkcd in your web browser
K
S
Zen of Python import​ this '...Beautiful is better than ugly. Explicit is ...'

Swapping numbers Swapping variables is a breeze in Python. ​ Jane'​, ​'Alice'

a, b = ' a = ​'Alice'
No offense, Java! a, b = b, a b = '​ Jane'

Unpacking arguments Use a sequence as function arguments def​ ​f​(x, y, z)​:​ return​ x + y * z
via asterisk operator *. Use a dictionary f(*[​1​, ​3​, ​4​]) 13
(key, value) via double asterisk operator ** f(**{​'z'​ : ​4​, ​'x'​ : ​1​, ​'y'​ : 3
​ ​}) 13

Extended Unpacking Use unpacking for multiple assignment a, *b = [​1​, ​2​, ​3​, ​4​, ​5​] a = ​1
feature in Python b = [​2​, ​3​, ​4, 5​]

Merge two dictionaries Use unpacking to merge two dictionaries x={​'Alice'​ : ​18​} z = {​'Alice'​: ​18​,
into a single one y={​'Bob'​ : ​27​, ​'Ann'​ : ​22​} 'Bob'​: ​27​, ​'Ann'​: ​22​}
z = {**x,**y}