Python Sets

A set is a collection of unique data, meaning that elements within a set cannot be
duplicated.
For instance, if we need to store information about student IDs, a set is suitable since
student IDs cannot have duplicates.

Python Set Elements

Create a Set in Python

In Python, we create sets by placing all the elements inside curly braces {} , separated
by commas.
A set can have any number of items and they may be of different types (integer,
float, tuple, string, etc.). But a set cannot have mutable elements like lists, sets
or dictionaries as its elements.
Let's see an example,
# create a set of integer type
student_id = {112, 114, 116, 118, 115}
print('Student ID:', student_id)

# create a set of string type

vowel_letters = {'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u'}
print('Vowel Letters:', vowel_letters)

# create a set of mixed data types

mixed_set = {'Hello', 101, -2, 'Bye'}
print('Set of mixed data types:', mixed_set)
Output

Student ID: {112, 114, 115, 116, 118}

Vowel Letters: {'u', 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o'}
Set of mixed data types: {'Hello', 'Bye', 101, -2}

In the above example, we have created different types of sets by placing all the
elements inside the curly braces {} .

Note: When you run this code, you might get output in a different order. This is
because the set has no particular order.

Create an Empty Set in Python

Creating an empty set is a bit tricky. Empty curly braces {} will make an empty
dictionary in Python.
To make a set without any elements, we use the set() function without any argument.
For example,
# create an empty set
empty_set = set()

# create an empty dictionary

empty_dictionary = { }

# check data type of empty_set

print('Data type of empty_set:', type(empty_set))

# check data type of dictionary_set

print('Data type of empty_dictionary:', type(empty_dictionary))

Output

Data type of empty_set: <class 'set'>

Data type of empty_dictionary: <class 'dict'>

Here,
 empty_set - an empty set created using set()

 empty_dictionary - an empty dictionary created using {}

Finally, we have used the type() function to know which

class empty_set and empty_dictionary belong to.

Duplicate Items in a Set

Let's see what will happen if we try to include duplicate items in a set.
numbers = {2, 4, 6, 6, 2, 8}
print(numbers) # {8, 2, 4, 6}

Here, we can see there are no duplicate items in the set as a set cannot contain
duplicates.

Add and Update Set Items in Python

Sets are mutable. However, since they are unordered, indexing has no meaning.
We cannot access or change an element of a set using indexing or slicing. The set data
type does not support it.

Add Items to a Set in Python

In Python, we use the add() method to add an item to a set. For example,
numbers = {21, 34, 54, 12}
print('Initial Set:',numbers)

# using add() method

numbers.add(32)

print('Updated Set:', numbers)

Output

Initial Set: {34, 12, 21, 54}

Updated Set: {32, 34, 12, 21, 54}
In the above example, we have created a set named numbers . Notice the line,

numbers.add(32)

Here, add() adds 32 to our set.

Update Python Set

The update() method is used to update the set with items other collection types (lists,
tuples, sets, etc). For example,
companies = {'Lacoste', 'Ralph Lauren'}
tech_companies = ['apple', 'google', 'apple']

# using update() method

companies.update(tech_companies)
print(companies)

# Output: {'google', 'apple', 'Lacoste', 'Ralph Lauren'}

Here, all the unique elements of tech_companies are added to the companies set.

Remove an Element from a Set

We use the discard() method to remove the specified element from a set. For example,
languages = {'Swift', 'Java', 'Python'}
print('Initial Set:',languages)

# remove 'Java' from a set

removedValue = languages.discard('Java')
print('Set after remove():', languages)

Output

Initial Set: {'Python', 'Swift', 'Java'}

Set after remove(): {'Python', 'Swift'}

Here, we have used the discard() method to remove 'Java' from the languages set.
Built-in Functions with Set
Here are some of the popular built-in functions that allow us to perform different
operations on a set.

Function Description

Returns True if all elements of the set are true (or if the set is
all()
empty).

Returns True if any element of the set is true. If the set is empty,
any()
returns False .

Returns an enumerate object. It contains the index and value for all the
enumerate()
items of the set as a pair.

len() Returns the length (the number of items) in the set.

max() Returns the largest item in the set.

min() Returns the smallest item in the set.

Returns a new sorted list from elements in the set(does not sort the set
sorted()
itself).

sum() Returns the sum of all elements in the set.

Iterate Over a Set in Python

fruits = {"Apple", "Peach", "Mango"}

# for loop to access each fruits

for i in fruits:
print(i)

Output

Mango
Peach
Apple

Here, we have used for loop to iterate over a set in Python.

Find Number of Set Elements

We can use the len() method to find the number of elements present in a Set. For
example,
even_numbers = {2,4,6,8}
print('Set:',even_numbers)
# find number of elements
print('Total Elements:', len(even_numbers))

Output

Set: {8, 2, 4, 6}
Total Elements: 4

Here, we have used the len() method to find the number of elements present in a Set.

Python Set Operations

Python Set provides different built-in methods to perform mathematical set operations
like union, intersection, subtraction, and symmetric difference.

Union of Two Sets

The union of two sets A and B includes all the elements of sets A and B .
 Set Union in Python
We use the | operator or the union() method to perform the set union operation. For
example,

# first set
A = {1, 3, 5}
# second set
B = {0, 2, 4}

# perform union operation using |

print('Union using |:', A | B)

# perform union operation using union()

print('Union using union():', A.union(B))

Output

Union using |: {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

Union using union(): {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

Note: A|B and union() is equivalent to A ⋃B set operation.

Set Intersection
The intersection of two sets A and B include the common elements between set A and B .
 Set Intersection in Python

In Python, we use the & operator or the intersection() method to perform the set
intersection operation. For example,
# first set
A = {1, 3, 5}
# second set
B = {1, 2, 3}
# perform intersection operation using &
print('Intersection using &:', A & B)
# perform intersection operation using intersection()
print('Intersection using intersection():', A.intersection(B))

Output

Intersection using &: {1, 3}

Intersection using intersection(): {1, 3}

Note: A&B and intersection() is equivalent to A ⋂B set operation.

Difference between Two Sets
The difference between two sets A and B include elements of set A that are not present
on set B .

Set Difference in Python

We use the - operator or the difference() method to perform the difference between two
sets. For example,
# first set
A = {2, 3, 5}
# second set
B = {1, 2, 6}
# perform difference operation using &
print('Difference using &:', A - B)
# perform difference operation using difference()
print('Difference using difference():', A.difference(B))

Output

Difference using &: {3, 5}

Difference using difference(): {3, 5}

Note: A - B and A.difference(B) is equivalent to A - B set operation.

Set Symmetric Difference
The symmetric difference between two sets A and B includes all elements
of A and B without the common elements.

Set Symmetric Difference in

Python
In Python, we use the ^ operator or the symmetric_difference() method to perform
symmetric differences between two sets. For example,
# first set
A = {2, 3, 5}
# second set
B = {1, 2, 6}
# perform difference operation using &
print('using ^:', A ^ B)
# using symmetric_difference()
print('using symmetric_difference():', A.symmetric_difference(B))

Output

using ^: {1, 3, 5, 6}
using symmetric_difference(): {1, 3, 5, 6}

Check if two sets are equal

We can use the == operator to check whether two sets are equal or not. For example,
# first set
A = {1, 3, 5}
# second set
B = {3, 5, 1}
# perform difference operation using &
if A == B:
print('Set A and Set B are equal')
else:
print('Set A and Set B are not equal')

Output

Set A and Set B are equal

In the above example, A and B have the same elements, so the condition

if A == B

evaluates to True . Hence, the statement print('Set A and Set B are equal') inside
the if is executed.

Other Python Set Methods

There are many set methods, some of which we have already used above. Here is a
list of all the methods that are available with the set objects:

Method Description

add() Adds an element to the set

clear() Removes all elements from the set

copy() Returns a copy of the set

Returns the difference of two or more sets as a new

difference()
set
difference_update() Removes all elements of another set from this set

Removes an element from the set if it is a member. (Do

discard()
nothing if the element is not in set)

intersection() Returns the intersection of two sets as a new set

Updates the set with the intersection of itself and

intersection_update()
another

isdisjoint() Returns True if two sets have a null intersection

issubset() Returns True if another set contains this set

issuperset() Returns True if this set contains another set

Removes and returns an arbitrary set element. Raises

pop()
KeyError if the set is empty

Removes an element from the set. If the element is not

remove()
a member, raises a KeyError

Returns the symmetric difference of two sets as a new

symmetric_difference()
set

Updates a set with the symmetric difference of itself

symmetric_difference_update()
and another

union() Returns the union of sets in a new set

update() Updates the set with the union of itself and others