How do lists and sets compare in performance?

How do lists and sets compare in performance?

Lists and sets have different performance characteristics. Lists are ordered and allow duplicates, while sets are unordered and do not allow duplicates.

Can you explain the time complexity for common operations?

Sure! For lists, accessing an element by index is O(1), while adding or removing elements is O(n) in the worst case. For sets, adding, removing, and checking for existence are all average O(1) operations.

When should I use a list instead of a set?

Use a list when you need to maintain order or allow duplicates. Use a set when you need fast membership tests and uniqueness.

Are there any scenarios where lists outperform sets?

Yes, if you need to maintain the order of elements or require duplicate entries, lists will outperform sets.

What about memory usage between the two?

Lists generally use less memory than sets for the same number of elements, but sets can be more efficient for large datasets due to their hashing mechanism.