Python Accept list as an input from a user

As you already know using Python input() function, we can accept a string, integer and character input from a user. Now, let see how to accept the list as an input in Python.

This article mainly focuses on solving the following questions:

• Accept list as an input from a user
• Get a list of numbers as input from the user
• Accept a list of strings as input from a user

Note: This article is applicable for both Python 2 and 3.

Get a list of numbers as input from the user

I have created two examples in python to accept a list of numbers from the user and calculate the sum of the list of numbers.

Let’s see the example.

Program 1: Get a list of numbers as input from a user and calculate the sum of it

• Use a input() function to accept the list elements from a user in the format of a string separated by space.
• Next, Use a split() function to split a string by space and added those numbers to the list.
• Next, iterate a user list using for loop and range() function.
• Convert each list element to an integer and add it to a sum variable.

input_string = input("Enter a list numbers or elements separated by space: ")
userList = input_string.split()
print("user list is ", userList)

print("Calculating sum of element of input list")
sum = 0
for num in userList:
    sum += int(num)
print("Sum = ", sum)

Output: Run Online

Enter a list numbers or elements separated by space: 10 20 30 40
user list is  ['10', '20', '30', '40']
Calculating sum of element of input list
Sum =  100

Program 2: Get a list of numbers as input from a user and Print it without using a split() function

• First, create an empty list
• Accept list size from the user (i.e. the total number of elements in a list)
• Run loop till the size of a list using for loop and range() function
• use the input() function to receive a number from a user
• add the current number to the list using the append() function

Let see the example now

numberList = []
n = int(input("Enter the list size : "))
for i in range(0, n):
    print("Enter number at location", i, ":")
    item = int(input())
    numberList.append(item)
print("User List is ", numberList)

Output: Run Online

Enter the list size : 4
Enter number at location 0 :
10
Enter number at location 1 :
20
Enter number at location 2 :
30
Enter number at location 3 :
40
User List is  [10, 20, 30, 40]

What about getting a list of string as an input?

Python get a list of strings as an input from a user

We can also accept a list of string as an input from the user using the same way as we did for a list of integers. Let’s see the demo.

Python Program to get a list of string as input from a user. In this demo, we are accepting all family member names from a user.

input_string = input("Enter family members separated by comma ")
family_list  = input_string.split(",")
print("Printing all family member names")
for name in family_list:
    print(name)

Output: Run Online

Enter family members separated by comma Jhon, Kelly, Scott, Jessa
Printing all family member names
Jhon
 Kelly
 Scott
 Jessa

Let’s Understand the above program.

1. we accepted the input list element from a user in the format of a string separated by a comma.
2. Using input_string.split(",") we split a string by a comma and created a list of string
3. We iterated a list using for loop and printed all f.amily member names from a list of string

Next Steps

To practice what you learned in this article, I have created a Python Basic Quiz and Exercise.

Let me know your comments and feedback in the section below.