list1 = [1, 2, 4, 3]
list2 = [1, 2, 3, 4]
if set(list1) == set(list2):
print('Lists are similar')
else:
print('Lists are not similar')
We are using the set() function of Python to check whether two lists are identical or not. We will also explain more methods to check if the two lists contain the same items and values along with the same number of elements.
This is the easiest way to check where two given lists are identical or not in Python. The set() function takes the list as a parameter and we compare the lists using the == operator.
Syntax
set(List1) == set(List2)
Code Example
list1 = ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd']
list2 = ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd']
if set(list1) == set(list2):
print('Lists are identical')
else:
print('Lists are not identical')
Output
Lists are identical
Note that duplicate values are ignored when checking two list similarities using the set() function. If you want do not want to ignore duplicate items you can use the Counter() function of the collections module.
You can also use the Counter() function from the collections module to check whether two lists have the same items with a duplication check.
Syntax
Counter(list1) == Counter(list2)
Code Example
# Import Counter from collections
from collections import Counter
# Define the lists
list1 = ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd']
list2 = ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd']
# Check if lists have same items at same positions
if Counter(list1) == Counter(list2):
print('Identical')
else:
print('Not identical')
Output
Identical
list1 = ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd']
list2 = ['a', 'b', 'd', 'c']
list1.sort()
list2.sort()
if list1 == list2:
print('Lists are identical')
else:
print('Lists are not identical')
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