Python: list of a single iterable `list(x)` vs `[x]`

Question

Python seems to differentiate between [x] and list(x) when making a list object, where x is an iterable. Why this difference?

Answer 1

[x] is a list containing the element x.

list(x) takes x (which must already be iterable!) and turns it into a list.

>>> [1]  # list literal
[1]
>>> ['abc']  # list containing 'abc'
['abc']
>>> list(1)
# TypeError
>>> list((1,))  # list constructor
[1]
>>> list('abc')  # strings are iterables
['a', 'b', 'c']  # turns string into list!

The list constructor list(...) - like all of python's built-in collection types (set, list, tuple, collections.deque, etc.) - can take a single iterable argument and convert it.