Python Sets

Sets are used to store multiple items in a single variable

Set is one of 4 built-in data types in Python used to store collections of data, the
other 3 are List, Tuple, and Dictionary, all with different qualities and usage
Sets are written with curly brackets { }
Example
Create a Set
In [4]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
print(thisset)

{'cherry', 'banana', 'apple'}

Note: Sets are unordered, so you cannot be sure in which order the items will
appear

Set Items
Set items are unordered, unchangeable, and do not allow duplicate values

Unordered
Unordered means that the items in a set do not have a defined order
Set items can appear in a different order every time you use them, and cannot be
referred to by index or key

Unchangeable
Set items are unchangeable, meaning that we cannot change the items after the
set has been created
Once a set is created, you cannot change its items, but you can remove items
and add new items

Duplicates Not Allowed

Sets cannot have two items with the same value
Example
Duplicate values will be ignored
In [5]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry", "apple"}

print(thisset)

{'cherry', 'banana', 'apple'}

Note: The values True and 1 are considered the same value in sets, and are
treated as duplicates
Example
True and 1 is considered the same value
In [6]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry", True, 1, 2}

print(thisset)

{True, 2, 'cherry', 'banana', 'apple'}

Get the Length of a Set

To determine how many items a set has, use the len() function
Example
Get the number of items in a set
In [7]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

print(len(thisset))

Set Items - Data Types

Set items can be of any data type
Example
String, int and boolean data types
In [9]: set1 = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
set2 = {1, 5, 7, 9, 3}
set3 = {True, False, False}

print(set1)
print(set2)
print(set3)

{'cherry', 'banana', 'apple'}

{1, 3, 5, 7, 9}
{False, True}

A set can contain different data types

Example
A set with strings, integers and boolean values
In [10]: set1 = {"abc", 34, True, 40, "male"}
print(set1)

{True, 34, 'male', 40, 'abc'}

The set() Constructor

It is also possible to use the set() constructor to make a set
Example
Using the set() constructor to make a set
In [11]: thisset = set(("apple", "banana", "cherry")) # note the double round-brac
print(thisset)

{'cherry', 'banana', 'apple'}

Access Set Items

You cannot access items in a set by referring to an index or a key.
But you can loop through the set items using a for loop, or ask if a specified
value is present in a set, by using the in keyword.
Example
Loop through the set, and print the values
In [14]: thisset = {"apple", 'orange', "banana", "cherry"}

for x in thisset:
print(x)

cherry
banana
apple

Example
Check if "banana" is present in the set
In [13]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

print("banana" in thisset)

True

Change Items
Once a set is created, you cannot change its items, but you can add new items
 Add Set Items
To add one item to a set use the add() method
Syntax set.add(elmnt)
elmnt - Required. The element to add to the set
Example
Add an item to a set, using the add() method
In [15]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

thisset.add("orange")

print(thisset)

{'cherry', 'orange', 'banana', 'apple'}

Add Sets
To add items from another set into the current set, use the update() method
Syntax set.update(set)
set - Required. The iterable insert into the current set
Example
Add elements from tropical into thisset
In [16]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
tropical = {"pineapple", "mango", "papaya"}

thisset.update(tropical)

print(thisset)

{'pineapple', 'mango', 'papaya', 'cherry', 'banana', 'apple'}

Add Any Iterable

The object in the update() method does not have to be a set, it can be any
iterable object (tuples, lists, dictionaries etc.).
Example
Add elements of a list to at set
In [17]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
mylist = ["kiwi", "orange"]

thisset.update(mylist)

print(thisset)

{'kiwi', 'orange', 'cherry', 'banana', 'apple'}

 Remove Set Items
To remove an item in a set, use the remove(), or the discard() method
Syntax for remove set.remove(item)
item - Required. The item to search for, and remove
Syntax for discard set.discard(value)
value - Required. The item to search for, and remove
Example
Remove "banana" by using the remove() method
In [18]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

thisset.remove("banana")

print(thisset)

{'cherry', 'apple'}

Note: If the item to remove does not exist, remove() will raise an error

Example
Remove "banana" by using the discard() method
In [29]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

thisset.discard("banana")

print(thisset)

{'cherry', 'apple'}

Note: If the item to remove does not exist, discard() will NOT raise an error

You can also use the pop() method to remove an item, but this method will
remove a random item, so you cannot be sure what item that gets removed.
The return value of the pop() method is the removed item
Syntax set.pop()
No parameter values
Example
Remove a random item by using the pop() method
In [3]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

x = thisset.pop()

print(x)
 print(thisset)

banana
{'cherry', 'apple'}

The clear() method empties the set

Syntax set.clear()
No parameter values
Example
In [4]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

thisset.clear()

print(thisset)

set()

The del keyword will delete the set completely

Example
In [5]: thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

del thisset

print(thisset)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
NameError Traceback (most recent call la
st)
Cell In[5], line 5
1 thisset = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
3 del thisset
----> 5 print(thisset)

NameError: name 'thisset' is not defined

join Two Sets

There are several ways to join two or more sets in Python.
You can use the union() method that returns a new set containing all items from
both sets, or the update() method that inserts all the items from one set into
another
Syntax set.union(set1, set2...)
set1 - Required. The iterable to unify with
set2 - Optional. The other iterable to unify with.You can compare as many
iterables as you like.
Separate each iterable with a comma
 Example
The union() method returns a new set with all items from both sets
In [6]: set1 = {"a", "b" , "c"}
set2 = {1, 2, 3}

set3 = set1.union(set2)
print(set3)

{'a', 1, 2, 3, 'b', 'c'}

Example
The update() method inserts the items in set2 into set1
In [ ]: set1 = {"a", "b" , "c"}
set2 = {1, 2, 3}

set1.update(set2)
print(set1)

Note: Both union() and update()will exclude any duplicate items

Set Methods
Python has a set of built-in methods that you can use on sets

1.copy()
The copy() method copies the set
Syntax - The set.copy()
No parameters
Example
Copy the fruits set
In [7]: fruits = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

x = fruits.copy()

print(x)

{'banana', 'cherry', 'apple'}

2.difference()
The difference() method returns a set that contains the difference between two
sets.
Meaning: The returned set contains items that exist only in the first set, and not
in both sets
Syntax - The set.difference(set)
set - Required. The set to check for differences in
 Example
Return a set that contains the items that only exist in set x , and not in set y
In [9]: x = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
y = {"google", "microsoft", "apple"}

z = x.difference(y)

print(z)

{'banana', 'cherry'}

Example
Reverse the first example. Return a set that contains the items that only
exist in set y, and not in set x
In [11]: x = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
y = {"google", "microsoft", "apple"}

z = y.difference(x)
print(z)

{'google', 'microsoft'}

3.difference_update()
The difference_update() method removes the items that exist in both sets.
The difference_update() method is different from the difference() method,
because the difference() method returns a new set, without the unwanted items,
and the difference_update() method removes the unwanted items from the
original set
Syntax - The set.difference_update(set)
set - Required. The set to check for differences in
Example
Remove the items that exist in both sets
In [12]: x = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
y = {"google", "microsoft", "apple"}

x.difference_update(y)

print(x)

{'banana', 'cherry'}

4.intersection()
The intersection() method returns a set that contains the similarity between two
or more sets.
Meaning: The returned set contains only items that exist in both sets, or in all
sets if the comparison is done with more than two sets
 Syntax - The set.intersection(set1, set2 ... etc)
set1 - Required. The set to search for equal items in
set2 - Optional. The other set to search for equal items in.
You can compare as many sets you like. Separate the sets with a comma
Example
Return a set that contains the items that exist in both set x, and set y
In [13]: x = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
y = {"google", "microsoft", "apple"}

z = x.intersection(y)

print(z)

{'apple'}

Example
Compare 3 sets, and return a set with items that is present in all 3 sets
In [14]: x = {"a", "b", "c"}
y = {"c", "d", "e"}
z = {"f", "g", "c"}

result = x.intersection(y, z)

print(result)

{'c'}

5.intersection_update()
The intersection_update() method removes the items that is not present in both
sets (or in all sets if the comparison is done between more than two sets)
The intersection_update() method is different from the intersection() method,
because the intersection() method returns a new set, without the unwanted
items, and the intersection_update() method removes the unwanted items from
the original set
Syntax - The set.intersection_update(set1, set2 ... etc)
set1 - Required. The set to search for equal items in
set2 - Optional. The other set to search for equal items in.You can compare
as many sets you like.
Separate the sets with a comma
Example
Remove the items that is not present in both x and y
In [15]: x = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
y = {"google", "microsoft", "apple"}

x.intersection_update(y)
 print(x)

{'apple'}

Example
Compare 3 sets, and return a set with items that is present in all 3 sets
In [19]: x = {"a", "b", "c"}
y = {"c", "d", "e"}
z = {"f", "g", "c"}

x.intersection_update(y, z)

print(x)

{'c'}

6.isdisjoint()
The isdisjoint() method returns True if none of the items are present in both sets,
otherwise it returns False
Syntax - The set.isdisjoint(set)
set - Required. The set to search for equal items in
Example
Return True if no items in set x is present in set y
In [20]: x = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
y = {"google", "microsoft", "facebook"}

z = x.isdisjoint(y)

print(z)

True

Example
Return False if one or more items are present in both sets
In [21]: x = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
y = {"google", "microsoft", "apple"}

z = x.isdisjoint(y)

print(z)

False

7.issubset()
The issubset() method returns True if all items in the set exists in the specified
set, otherwise it returns False
Syntax - The set.issubset(set)
set- Required. The set to search for equal items in
 Example
Return True if all items in set x are present in set y
In [22]: x = {"a", "b", "c"}
y = {"f", "e", "d", "c", "b", "a"}

z = x.issubset(y)

print(z)

True

Example
What if not all items are present in the specified set?
Return False if not all items in set x are present in set y
In [25]: x = {"a", "b", "c"}
y = {"f", "e", "d", "c", "b"}

z = x.issubset(y)

print(z)

False

8.issuperset()
The issuperset() method returns True if all items in the specified set exists in the
original set, otherwise it returns False
Syntax - The set.issuperset(set)
set - Required. The set to search for equal items in
Example
Return True if all items set y are present in set x
In [24]: x = {"f", "e", "d", "c", "b", "a"}
y = {"a", "b", "c"}

z = x.issuperset(y)

print(z)

True

Example
What if not all items are present in the specified set?
Return False if not all items in set y are present in set x
In [26]: x = {"f", "e", "d", "c", "b"}
y = {"a", "b", "c"}

z = x.issuperset(y)

print(z)
 False

9.symmetric_difference()
The symmetric_difference() method returns a set that contains all items from
both set, but not the items that are present in both sets.
Meaning: The returned set contains a mix of items that are not present in both
sets
Syntax - The set.symmetric_difference(set)
set - Required. The set to check for matches in
Example
Return a set that contains all items from both sets, except items that are
present in both sets
In [27]: x = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
y = {"google", "microsoft", "apple"}

z = x.symmetric_difference(y)

print(z)

{'banana', 'microsoft', 'cherry', 'google'}

10.symmetric_difference_update()
The symmetric_difference_update() method updates the original set by
removing items that are present in both sets, and inserting the other items
Syntax - The set.symmetric_difference_update(set)
set - Required. The set to check for matches in
Example
Remove the items that are present in both sets, AND insert the items that is
not present in both sets
In [28]: x = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
y = {"google", "microsoft", "apple"}

x.symmetric_difference_update(y)

print(x)

{'banana', 'microsoft', 'cherry', 'google'}