Python Sets Tutorial – Complete Guide

Welcome to an exciting journey of learning Python Sets. Python Sets are an integral part of the Python programming language that can simplify and fast-track your coding.

What is a Python Set?

In Python, a set is a built-in data type that represents a collection of unique elements. Like the mathematical concept, it’s an unordered collection of items that share no duplicate values making it a perfect mechanism for handling unique elements.

What are Python Sets used for?

Python Sets can be very useful in your code for carrying out mathematical set operations such as union, intersection, and difference. Because a set automatically removes duplicates, it’s great for when you want to remove duplicates from a list or find distinct elements.

Why should I learn Python Sets?

Learning Python Sets can prove advantageous for multiple reasons:

• Efficiency: Sets allow you to perform operations like membership tests and deletion of elements far more efficiently than lists.
• Data Integrity: Since sets automatically remove duplicates, you can maintain data integrity where uniqueness of elements is key.
• Mathematical operations: Sets support mathematical operations like union, intersection, difference, and symmetric difference, making it easier to handle large data sets.

As you delve into the world of coding, getting acquainted with these sophisticated yet simple data structures will prove indispensable. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced coder wanting to expand your repertoire, mastering Python sets can be a major milestone in your coding journey.

Let’s dive in and see some Python Sets in action!

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Creating a Set

Creating a set in Python is straightforward. You just need to use the set() method or curly braces {}.

Example:

# Using set()
mySet1 = set(["Zenva", "Python", "Coding"])
print(mySet1)

# Using curly braces
mySet2 = {"Zenva", "Python", "Coding"}
print(mySet2)

In both examples, the output would be an unordered collection of these strings as Python does not preserve the order of elements in sets.

Adding elements to a Set

While creating a set, you can add elements using the add() method.

Example:

mySet = {"Zenva", "Python", "Coding"}
mySet.add("Set")
print(mySet)

In this case, the string “Set” is added to the set, and the print statement would output the updated set.

Performing Operations

Some typical operations performed on sets include intersections, unions, and differences.

Let’s take a closer look at these operations through our examples:

Example:

set1 = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
set2 = {4, 5, 6, 7, 8}

# Intersection
print(set1.intersection(set2))

# Union
print(set1.union(set2))

# Difference
print(set1.difference(set2))

For the above example, the intersection output would be {4,5}, the union output would be {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8} and the difference output would be {1,2,3}

Remove Duplicates

One of the endearing aspects of Python sets is their ability to remove duplicates, thereby ensuring data integrity.

Example:

list1 = [1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5]
set1 = set(list1)
print(set1)

The above code would output {1,2,3,4,5} thereby automatically removing duplicates in the set.

Checking Membership

You can verify if an item exists in a set using the ‘in’ keyword. This is extremely useful and more efficient than checking membership in a list.

Example:

mySet = {"Zenva", "Python", "Coding"}

print("Zenva" in mySet)
print("Java" in mySet)

In this example, the first print statement would return True because “Zenva” is in the set. Conversely, the second print statement returns False as “Java” is not in the set.

Iterating Through a Set

Just like a list, you can iterate through a set using a for loop.

Example:

mySet = {"Zenva", "Python", "Coding"}

for element in mySet:
  print(element)

This code will print each element in the set.

Removing Elements From a Set

Python provides the remove() method to eliminate an element from a set. Keep in mind that if the element does not exist, using remove() will raise an error. To avoid this, you can use the discard() method, which does not raise any error if the element isn’t found.

Example:

mySet = {"Zenva", "Python", "Coding"}

mySet.remove("Coding")
print(mySet)

mySet.discard("Java")
print(mySet)

In this scenario, after removing “Coding”, the set would update to {“Zenva”, “Python”}, and discarding “Java” won’t cause an error, maintaining the set as {“Zenva”, “Python”}.

Set Size

To determine the number of objects in a Set, Python provides the len() function.

Example:

mySet = {"Zenva", "Python", "Coding"}

print(len(mySet))

The output for this code will be 3, reflecting the number of elements in the set.

Where to Go Next with Python Sets

Mastering Python Sets and their functionality undoubtedly sets you up for more challenges and advanced topics in Python. Your journey in the world of Python coding isn’t restricted to sets — the language has much more to offer!

At Zenva, we seek to cater to all levels of learning. Whether you’re just getting started, or looking to advance your Python skills, we are here to guide you every step of the way.

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Conclusion

As we unravel the curtains on Python Sets, let’s remind ourselves that this is just the beginning of the wonderful journey we’re all embarked on. There’s a whole universe of coding concepts and applications waiting to be discovered, and we can assure you, each step forward is a step towards an exceptional future.

The universe of coding is merely a click away, with Zenva’s no-fluff, hands-on curriculum. Dig deeper, explore further, and commence a learning journey with no bounds. As we’ve learned, our Python Mini-Degree is here to ensure you make the most out of Python and its thrilling applications. With Python Sets under your belt now, you’re ready to push the envelope towards your limitless potential. Let’s conquer the coding world together!

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