Python Set Methods
Python provides a variety of built-in methods for manipulating sets. Below is a detailed overview of each method, along with how they are used and links to official references.
| Method | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| add() | – | Adds a single element to the set. |
| clear() | – | Removes all elements from the set, making it empty. |
| copy() | – | Creates and returns a shallow copy of the set. |
| difference() | – | Returns a set that contains elements not present in the other sets. Official Reference |
| difference_update() | – | Updates the set to keep only elements not present in other specified sets. Official Reference |
| discard() | – | Removes the specified element if it exists. Official Reference |
| intersection() | & | Returns a set containing common elements between sets. Official Reference |
| intersection_update() | &= | Updates the set to keep only elements found in all specified sets. Official Reference |
| isdisjoint() | – | Checks if two sets have no elements in common. Official Reference |
| issubset() | <= | Checks if the set is a subset of another set. Official Reference |
| issuperset() | >= | Checks if the set is a superset of another set. Official Reference |
| pop() | – | Removes and returns a random element from the set. Official Reference |
| remove() | – | Removes the specified element. Raises an error if the element is not found. Official Reference |
| symmetric_difference() | ^ | Returns a set with elements in either of the sets but not both. Official Reference |
| symmetric_difference_update() | ^= | Updates the set to contain symmetric differences with another set. Official Reference |
| union() | | | Returns a set with all elements from both sets. Official Reference |
| update() | |= | Updates the set with elements from other sets or iterables. Official Reference |
Understanding these set methods is crucial for effective data manipulation in Python. Each method serves a unique purpose, allowing you to efficiently handle and process sets in various scenarios.