What are the differences between lists and deques in Python?

What are the differences between lists and deques in Python?

Lists and deques are both used to store collections of items, but they have different performance characteristics. Lists are optimized for fast access and are implemented as dynamic arrays, while deques (double-ended queues) are optimized for fast appends and pops from both ends.

Can you give me an example of when to use a deque instead of a list?

Sure! If you need to frequently add or remove items from both ends of a collection, like in a queue or stack implementation, a deque is more efficient than a list.

What are the time complexities for common operations in lists and deques?

For lists, accessing an element is O(1), but appending or inserting in the middle is O(n). For deques, appending and popping from either end is O(1), but accessing an element is O(n).

Are there any limitations to using deques?

Yes, while deques are great for certain operations, they may use more memory than lists due to their underlying data structure, and they don't support some list-specific operations like slicing.