What is the difference between list(object) and [object]?

Question

Do both produces same type of python list?

Answer 1

Both ways do create the very same type of list - which is the typical Python list you know.

If you write x = [] or x = list(), both times x will refer to a freshly created empty list, no difference.

When you write list(whatever), you are calling the constructor of the type list.

The argument you pass - if you pass anything - has to be an iterable type: so another list, a tuple, string, dictionary...

Writing list(iterable) translated means:

'Please create a list out of the elements of iterable.'

If you write x = [iterable], a different thing happens: iterable is not unpacked but will be put into a new list whole - as one single item.

If you write [*iterable], unpacking that list with the *, then the result is really the same as list(iterable).

Anyway, fundamentally, both a list call and a list literal (like []) will create the same sort of list.

Answer 2

The following snippet may hint a slight difference.

str1 = "SoloLearn"
tuple1 = (10, 20, 30, 40, 50)
list1 = [10.1, 20.2, 30.3, 40.4, 50.5]

print(f"Using string '{str1}'")
print("list(str1) ->", list(str1))
print("[str1] ->", [str1])

print(f"\nUsing a tuple {tuple1}")
print("list(tuple1) ->", list(tuple1))
print("[tuple1] ->", [tuple1])

print(f"\nUsing a list {list1}")
print("list(list1) ->", list(list1))
print("[list1 ->]", [list1])