The generator is suitable for handling big data, single traversal and memory-sensitive scenarios, and the list comprehension is suitable for scenarios with small data volume, multiple accesses and fast operations. 1. The generator is lazy to evaluate, saves memory, and is suitable for handling ultra-large data sets, single traversals, and memory-constrained environments; 2. The list comprehension generates a complete list at one time, which is convenient for repeated access and operations, and is suitable for scenarios with small data volume and multiple use; 3. The list occupies high memory, and the generator almost does not occupy memory, but the speed is slow when traversing multiple times; 4. Both can be used for a single loop, but the generator cannot be reused, and the list can be repeatedly traversed and modified.
In Python, generators and list comprehensions are very common tools, but their usage scenarios and performance are very different. If you just want to create a sequence quickly, use any one; but if you process a lot of data or are memory sensitive, then choice is important.

The following is a comparison of the differences between the two from several common perspectives and under which circumstances is more suitable to use.
When should I use the generator?
The core feature of the generator is lazy evaluation , that is, "generate only when it needs to be used", rather than computing all the results at once and storing them in memory.

This is especially useful in the following situations:
- Process very large data sets, such as reading huge files or traversing millions of records
- You only need to traverse the data once, no repeated access
- Memory resources are limited, don't want to load too much data at once
For example:

# This is a generator expression gen = (x * x for x in range(1000000))
This gen
does not calculate all square numbers immediately, but is generated one by one at each iteration. The advantage of doing this is that it takes up less memory and starts quickly.
What are the strengths of list comprehension?
The advantage of list comprehension is that it is convenient, intuitive, and fast , which is suitable for situations where you need to get the complete result immediately.
It works for:
- The data volume is small and will not cause memory pressure
- Multiple access results are required, such as sorting, slicing, searching and other operations
- You want the code to express your intentions in a concise and clear manner
for example:
squares = [x * x for x in range(1000)]
At this time, you have a complete list that can be directly indexed, looped, and modified, which is very flexible.
And since the list is pre-built, subsequent access speeds will be faster than the generator because it does not require recalculation every time.
Comparison of performance and memory usage
The biggest difference between the two is memory usage . List comprehension generates all elements at once and saves them in memory, while the generator generates only one element when needed.
Suppose you run the following two pieces of code:
list_comp = [x ** 2 for x in range(1000000)] # Takes up a lot of memory gen_expr = (x ** 2 for x in range(1000000)) # Takes up almost no memory
You will find that the former has a significantly higher memory footprint. If your program runs in a tight memory or the data volume is extremely large, the generator will be more suitable.
As for execution speed:
- List comprehensions are slower when they are created for the first time because they have to be calculated in one go
- But the access later is faster because the data is already in memory
- The generator has to calculate the next value every time, so it may be slower if it traverses multiple times.
When can it be used interchangeably?
Both can be used in for
loops, such as:
for num in (x*x for x in range(100)): # Generator print(num) for num in [x*x for x in range(100)]: # list print(num)
These two writing methods are almost the same in behavior, and they can print numbers normally. The difference is just the difference between internal mechanisms and resource usage.
However, it should be noted that the generator can only be traversed once and can no longer be reused once it is used up. The list can be repeatedly traversed, modified, and indexed.
Basically that's it.
You can decide according to your needs: if you just traverse it once, give priority to the generator; if you need to repeatedly access or manipulate data, it is more appropriate to use list comprehension.
The above is the detailed content of Using Python generators vs list comprehensions. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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