Python references

Question

Can someone explain why the example with integers results in different values for x and y and the example with the list results in x and y being the same object?

<         


        

Answer 1

As the previous answers said the code you wrote assigns the same object to different names such aliases. If you want to assign a copy of the original list to the new variable (object actually) use this solution:

>>> x=[1,2,3]
>>> y=x[:] #this makes a new list
>>> x
[1, 2, 3]
>>> y
[1, 2, 3]
>>> x[0]=4
>>> x
[4, 2, 3]
>>> y
[1, 2, 3]