How to Find Length of List in Python: Simple Guide

To find the length of a list in Python, use the len() function by passing the list as an argument. It returns the number of items in the list as an integer.

Syntax

The syntax to find the length of a list uses the built-in len() function.

• len(list_name): Returns the number of elements in the list called list_name.

python

len(list_name)

Example

This example shows how to use len() to get the length of a list of fruits.

python

fruits = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']
length = len(fruits)
print(length)

Output

3

Common Pitfalls

One common mistake is trying to use len without parentheses, which will not give the length but the function itself. Another is passing something that is not a list or iterable, which causes an error.

python

fruits = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']

# Wrong: missing parentheses
print(len)  # This prints the function object, not the length

# Right: use parentheses
print(len(fruits))  # Correctly prints 3

# Wrong: passing non-iterable
# print(len(5))  # This will cause a TypeError

Output

<function len>
3

Quick Reference

Remember these points when finding list length:

• Use len(your_list) to get the number of items.
• The result is an integer representing the count.
• Works with other collections like strings, tuples, and dictionaries.

Key Takeaways

Use the built-in len() function to find the length of a list.

len() returns an integer count of items in the list.

Always include parentheses when calling len().

Passing non-iterable types to len() causes errors.

len() works with other iterable types like strings and tuples.