How to remove the first element from a list in python?

Question

I have the following code:

On the command line

> teste.py primeiro segundo

In the script teste.py:

import sys

print(sys.argv)

And I have the following return:

['c:\\teste.py', 'primeiro', 'segundo']

But I’d like to remove the first element. What are the possible ways to remove the first of a list in the Python?

Answer 1

The method can also be used del to remove an item by specifying its index.

lista = ['foo', 'bar', 'baz']
del lista[0]

print lista # ['bar', 'baz']

The difference between pop and del is that pop returns the value removed, while del only remove.

Take an example:

lista1 = ['foo', 'bar', 'baz']
lista2 = ['aaa', 'bbb', 'ccc', 'ddd']

del lista1[0]
deleted = lista2.pop(0)

print (lista1) # ['bar', 'baz']
print (lista2) # ['bbb', 'ccc', 'ddd'] 
print ("O valor %s foi deletado da lista1" % deleted) # O valor aaa foi deletado da lista1

DEMO

There is also the method remove() that, instead of specifying the index, the value is used to remove it from the list.

lista = ['foo', 'bar', 'baz']
lista.remove('foo')

print lista # ['bar', 'baz']

The method remove will remove the first corresponding value, assuming that the list has two equal values, only the first will be removed.

Answer 2

Use the method pop, documentation here:

lista = sys.argv
lista.pop(0)

Answer 3

Another way would be to pick up items from the second item in the list:

>>> a = [a, b, c, d, e, f]
>>> a = a[1:]
[b, c, d, e, f]