The list.clear() method in Python is used to remove all items from a list, effectively emptying it. This method modifies the original list in place and does not return a new list.

Syntax

list.clear()

Return Value

• The method does not return a value (None is returned implicitly).

Example Usage

1. Clearing a List:

   my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
   my_list.clear()  # Removes all elements from the list
   print(my_list)    # Output: []
   

2. Clearing an Already Empty List: Calling clear() on an already empty list does not cause any errors and simply maintains its empty state:

   empty_list = []
   empty_list.clear()  # Attempting to clear an already empty list
   print(empty_list)    # Output: []
   

3. Impact on References: If you have multiple references to the same list object, using clear() will affect all references:

   my_list = [1, 2, 3]
   another_reference = my_list
   my_list.clear()  # Clears the list
   print(another_reference)  # Output: []
   

4. Using clear() with Lists Containing Different Data Types: The clear() method can be used on lists containing various data types:

   mixed_list = [1, 'apple', 3.14, True]
   mixed_list.clear()  # Clears the list
   print(mixed_list)  # Output: []
   

Summary

• list.clear() is a simple and efficient way to remove all items from a list in Python.
• It modifies the original list in place, making it a common choice for resetting lists.
• The method is safe to use on empty lists, and it impacts all references to the list object, ensuring that all variables pointing to that list reflect its cleared state.