How to Avoid Empty Elements in Python Lists (3 Examples)

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to remove empty elements from a list in Python. Removing empty elements is a common task when working with data, as it helps clean and filter the list. We’ll explore different examples to remove empty elements from a list.

The table of contents is structured as follows:

Let’s get started!

Initializing a Sample List

Firstly, let’s initialize a sample list that we’ll be working with throughout the tutorial:

# Initializing a sample list
my_list = ['apple', '', 'banana', '', 'cherry', '', '', 'date', '']

This creates a list, my_list, with several elements, including empty strings ''.

Example 1: Remove Empty Elements from Lists Using List Comprehension

One way to remove empty elements from a list is using list comprehension. Here’s an example:

# Remove empty elements using list comprehension
my_list = [element for element in my_list if element]
 
# Print the updated list
print(my_list)  # ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry', 'date']

In this example, we use list comprehension to iterate over each element in my_list. We add a condition if element to filter out empty elements. Only non-empty elements are included in the new list.

Finally, we assign the updated list back to my_list and print it. Note that the empty elements have been removed, and the list now contains only non-empty elements.

Example 2: Remove Empty Elements from Lists Using the filter() Function

Another approach to removing empty elements from a list is using the filter() function. Here’s an example:

# Remove empty elements using the filter() function
my_list = list(filter(None, my_list))
 
# Print the updated list
print(my_list)  # ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry', 'date']

In this example, we use the filter() function and pass None as the first argument, which represents a filtering condition. The function filters out all elements that evaluate to False, including empty elements.

The filtered elements are then converted back to a list using the list() function. Finally, we assign the updated list back to my_list and print it.

Note that the empty elements have been removed, and the list now contains only non-empty elements.

Example 3: Remove Empty Elements from Lists Using a for Loop

You can also remove empty elements from a list using a for loop. Here’s an example:

# Remove empty elements using a for loop
updated_list = []
for element in my_list:
    if element:
        updated_list.append(element)
 
# Print the updated list
print(updated_list) # ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry', 'date']

In this example, we initialize an empty list updated_list to store the non-empty elements. We iterate over each element in my_list using a for loop. If the element is non-empty (evaluates to True), we append it to updated_list. Finally, we print the updated list.

Note that the empty elements have been removed, and updated_list contains only non-empty elements.

Video, Further Resources & Summary

In this tutorial, we explored different examples of removing empty elements from a list in Python. Using list comprehension, the filter() function, or a for loop, you can effectively remove empty elements and clean your list.

Do you need more explanations on looping through a list of integers in Python? Then you should have a look at the following YouTube video of the Statistics Globe YouTube channel.

The YouTube video will be added soon.

For more information and examples related to Python programming, you can check out the following tutorials on Statistics Globe:

• Python Programming Language for Statistics & Data Science
• Append to Empty List in Python (3 Examples)
• Check if List is Empty in Python (3 Examples)
• Append Integer to List in Python (4 Examples)
• Introduction to List in Python

Now you have the knowledge and techniques to remove empty elements from a list in Python. Happy coding!

This page was created in collaboration with Ömer Ekiz. Have a look at Ömer’s author page to get more information about his professional background, a list of all his tutorials, as well as an overview of his other tasks on Statistics Globe.