How do lists and sets compare in Python performance?

How do lists and sets compare in Python performance?

Lists and sets in Python have different performance characteristics. Lists are ordered and allow duplicates, while sets are unordered and do not allow duplicates. This affects their performance in various operations.

What operations are faster with sets compared to lists?

Sets are generally faster for membership tests (checking if an item exists) and for removing duplicates, as they use a hash table for storage.

Are there any scenarios where lists are better than sets?

Yes, lists are better when you need to maintain order, access elements by index, or allow duplicate values. They are also more memory efficient for small collections.

Can you give an example of when to use each?

Use a list when you need to store a sequence of items that may include duplicates, like a shopping list. Use a set when you need to store unique items, like a collection of user IDs.