sys.maxsize in Python (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 17 May, 2024

**maxsize attribute of the **sys module fetches the largest value a variable of data type **Py_ssize_t can store. It is the Python platform's pointer that dictates the maximum size of lists and strings in Python. The size value returned by maxsize depends on the platform architecture:

• **32-bit: the value will be 2^31 - 1, i.e. 2147483647
• **64-bit: the value will be 2^63 - 1, i.e. 9223372036854775807

sys.maxsize

**Syntax: sys.maxsize

**Returns: maximum value of Py_ssize_t depending upon the architecture

**Example 1: Let us fetch the maximum Py_ssize_t value on a 64-bit system.

Python `

importing the module

import sys

fetching the maximum value

max_val = sys.maxsize print(max_val)

`

**Output:

9223372036854775807

**Example 2: Creating a list with the maximum size.

Python `

importing the module

import sys

fetching the maximum value

max_val = sys.maxsize

creating list with max size

list = range(max_val)

displaying the length of the list

print(len(list))

print("List successfully created")

`

Output

9223372036854775807 List successfully created

**Example 3: Trying to create a list with a size greater than the maximum size.

Python `

importing the module

import sys

fetching the maximum value

max_val = sys.maxsize

try:

# creating list with max size + 1
list = range(max_val + 1)

# displaying the length of the list
print(len(list))
print("List successfully created")

except Exception as e:

# displaying the exception
print(e)
print("List creation unsuccessful")

`

Output

Python int too large to convert to C ssize_t List creation unsuccessful