How to Convert a String Representation of a List into a List Object in Python?

Converting a String Representation of a List into a List Object

When dealing with data, it's common to encounter string representations of lists. Consider the following example:

fruits = "['apple', 'orange', 'banana']"

Our goal is to convert this string into an actual list object. This conversion is necessary for accessing and manipulating list elements effectively.

To achieve this, we can leverage the ast module in Python, which provides methods for evaluating Python expressions and literals. In this case, we'll employ the ast.literal_eval() function.

import ast
fruits = "['apple', 'orange', 'banana']"
fruits = ast.literal_eval(fruits)

By using ast.literal_eval(), we securely evaluate the string as a Python expression, resulting in a list object. We can verify this transformation by printing the list:

print(fruits)
# Output: ['apple', 'orange', 'banana']

Furthermore, we can access list elements using square brackets:

print(fruits[1])
# Output: 'orange'

It's worth noting that ast.literal_eval() is safe for evaluating strings containing Python expressions. This safety measure is particularly important when working with untrusted sources, as it prevents potential security vulnerabilities.

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