Nested List Comprehensions in Python (original) (raw)

List Comprehension are one of the most amazing features of Python. It is a smart and concise way of creating lists by iterating over an iterable object. Nested List Comprehensions are nothing but a list comprehension within another list comprehension which is quite similar to nested for loops.

Nested List Comprehension in Python Syntax

Below is the syntax of nested list comprehension:

**Syntax: new_list = [[expression for item in list] for item in list]

**Parameters:

Python Nested List Comprehensions Examples

Below are some examples of nested list comprehension:

**Example 1: Creating a Matrix

In this example, we will compare how we can create a matrix when we are creating it with

**Without List Comprehension

In this example, a 5×5 matrix is created using a nested loop structure. An outer loop iterates five times, appending empty sublists to the matrix, while an inner loop populates each sublist with values ranging from 0 to 4, resulting in a matrix with consecutive integer values.

Python3

matrix = []

for i in range ( 5 ):

`` matrix.append([])

`` for j in range ( 5 ):

`` matrix[i].append(j)

print (matrix)

Output

[[0, 1, 2, 3, 4], [0, 1, 2, 3, 4], [0, 1, 2, 3, 4], [0, 1, 2, 3, 4], [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]]

**Using List Comprehension

The same output can be achieved using nested list comprehension in just one line. In this example, a 5×5 matrix is generated using a nested list comprehension. The outer comprehension iterates five times, representing the rows, while the inner comprehension populates each row with values ranging from 0 to 4, resulting in a matrix with consecutive integer values.

Python3

matrix = [[j for j in range ( 5 )] for i in range ( 5 )]

print (matrix)

Output

[[0, 1, 2, 3, 4], [0, 1, 2, 3, 4], [0, 1, 2, 3, 4], [0, 1, 2, 3, 4], [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]]

Example 2: Filtering a Nested List Using List Comprehension

Here, we will see how we can filter a list with and without using list comprehension.

**Without Using List Comprehension

In this example, a nested loop traverses a 2D matrix, extracting odd numbers from Python list within list and appending them to the list odd_numbers. The resulting list contains all odd elements from the matrix.

Python3

matrix = [[ 1 , 2 , 3 ], [ 4 , 5 , 6 ], [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]]

odd_numbers = []

for row in matrix:

`` for element in row:

`` if element % 2 ! = 0 :

`` odd_numbers.append(element)

print (odd_numbers)

**Using List Comprehension

In this example, a list comprehension is used to succinctly generate the list odd_numbers by iterating through the elements of a 2D matrix. Only odd elements are included in the resulting list, providing a concise and readable alternative to the equivalent nested loop structure.

Python3

matrix = [[ 1 , 2 , 3 ], [ 4 , 5 , 6 ], [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]]

odd_numbers = [

`` element for row in matrix for element in row if element % 2 ! = 0 ]

print (odd_numbers)

**Example 3: Flattening Nested Sub-Lists

**Without List Comprehension

In this example, a 2D list named matrix with varying sublist lengths is flattened using nested loops. The elements from each sublist are sequentially appended to the list flatten_matrix, resulting in a flattened representation of the original matrix.

Python3

matrix = [[ 1 , 2 , 3 ], [ 4 , 5 ], [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]]

flatten_matrix = []

for sublist in matrix:

`` for val in sublist:

`` flatten_matrix.append(val)

print (flatten_matrix)

Output

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

**With List Comprehension

Again this can be done using nested list comprehension which has been shown below. In this example, a 2D list named matrix with varying sublist lengths is flattened using nested list comprehension. The expression [val for sublist in matrix for val in sublist] succinctly generates a flattened list by sequentially including each element from the sublists.

Python3

matrix = [[ 1 , 2 , 3 ], [ 4 , 5 ], [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]]

flatten_matrix = [val for sublist in matrix for val in sublist]

print (flatten_matrix)

Output

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

**Example 4: Manipulate String Using List Comprehension

**Without List Comprehension

In this example, a 2D list named matrix containing strings is modified using nested loops. The inner loop capitalizes the first letter of each fruit, and the outer loop constructs a new 2D list, modified_matrix, with the capitalized fruits, resulting in a matrix of strings with initial capital letters.

Python3

matrix = [[ "apple" , "banana" , "cherry" ],

`` [ "date" , "fig" , "grape" ],

`` [ "kiwi" , "lemon" , "mango" ]]

modified_matrix = []

for row in matrix:

`` modified_row = []

`` for fruit in row:

`` modified_row.append(fruit.capitalize())

`` modified_matrix.append(modified_row)

print (modified_matrix)

Output

[['Apple', 'Banana', 'Cherry'], ['Date', 'Fig', 'Grape'], ['Kiwi', 'Lemon', 'Mango']]

**With List Comprehension

In this example, a 2D list named matrix containing strings is transformed using nested list comprehension. The expression [[fruit.capitalize() for fruit in row] for row in matrix] efficiently generates a modified matrix where the first letter of each fruit is capitalized, resulting in a new matrix of strings with initial capital letters.

Python3

matrix = [[ "apple" , "banana" , "cherry" ],

`` [ "date" , "fig" , "grape" ],

`` [ "kiwi" , "lemon" , "mango" ]]

modified_matrix = [[fruit.capitalize() for fruit in row] for row in matrix]

print (modified_matrix)

Output

[['Apple', 'Banana', 'Cherry'], ['Date', 'Fig', 'Grape'], ['Kiwi', 'Lemon', 'Mango']]