Printing Lists as Tabular Data in Python

The goal here is to present lists in a more structured, readable format by printing them as tables. Instead of displaying raw list data, formatting it into tabular form with rows and columns makes it easier to understand and analyze. For example, given a list like [['Name', 'Age'], ['Aditi', 19], ['Anmol', 16]], we want to display it as a clean table with headers and values neatly aligned. Let’s explore different methods to do this.

Using pandas

Pandas is the most widely used library for handling and presenting data in tabular form. It provides the DataFrame structure, which allows for efficient data manipulation, analysis and visualization. With just a few lines of code, it can present complex data in a clear tabular format.

import pandas as pd

a = [['Apple', 25], ['Banana', 20]]
df = pd.DataFrame(a, columns=['Fruit', 'Price/Kg'])
print(df)

Output

Explanation: Each sublist in a represents a row of data. pd.DataFrame() converts it into a structured table with column labels 'Fruit' and 'Price/Kg', and print(df) displays it in a readable tabular format.

Using tabulate library

tabulate library is known for its ability to format tables with different styles and outputs (e.g., plain text, HTML, LaTeX). It is a powerful yet lightweight solution for printing data in tabular form.

from tabulate import tabulate
a = [['Aditi', 19], ['Anmol', 16], ['Bhavya', 19]] # data
b = ['Name', 'Age'] # headers

print(tabulate(a, headers=b))

Output

Explanation: Each sublist represents a row of data, while the list b provides the column headers 'Name' and 'Age'. The tabulate() function combines them and prints a well-structured, easy-to-read table output.

Using PrettyTable library

PrettyTable is a Python library designed to print ASCII tables in a visually pleasing manner. It offers many customization options for table alignment, formatting and column adjustments.

from prettytable import PrettyTable

t = PrettyTable(['Name', 'Age'])
t.add_row(['Aditi', 19])
t.add_row(['Anmol', 16])
t.add_row(['Bhavya', 19])

print(t)

Output

Explanation: It initializes the table with column headers 'Name' and 'Age', then adds each data entry as a row using add_row().

Using Texttable library

texttable module is ideal for generating ASCII-style tables with minimal configuration. It supports the creation of both fixed-size and dynamic tables and is very efficient for quick text-based output.

from texttable import Texttable

t = Texttable()
t.add_rows([['Name', 'Age'], ['Aditi', 19], ['Anmol', 16],['Bhavya',19]])
print(t.draw())

Output

Explanation: It creates a table object t, adds multiple rows using add_rows() with the first row as column headers 'Name' and 'Age' and then prints the table using draw(), which returns a neatly bordered ASCII-style table.