October 13, 2024

Convert List to DataFrame in Python

In Python, the pandas library is commonly used for data manipulation and analysis. One of its primary data structures is the DataFrame, which is a two-dimensional labeled data structure. You can easily convert a list into a DataFrame using the pandas library.

1. Using a List of Lists

If you have a list of lists (where each sublist represents a row of data), you can convert it into a DataFrame by passing it to the pd.DataFrame() constructor:

import pandas as pd

# List of lists
data = [
    [1, 'Alice', 24],
    [2, 'Bob', 27],
    [3, 'Charlie', 22]
]

# Convert list to DataFrame
df = pd.DataFrame(data, columns=['ID', 'Name', 'Age'])

print(df)
    

This will output:

   ID     Name  Age
0   1    Alice   24
1   2      Bob   27
2   3  Charlie   22
    

2. Using a List of Dictionaries

If you have a list of dictionaries (where each dictionary represents a row of data with key-value pairs corresponding to column names and values), you can convert it into a DataFrame as follows:

import pandas as pd

# List of dictionaries
data = [
    {'ID': 1, 'Name': 'Alice', 'Age': 24},
    {'ID': 2, 'Name': 'Bob', 'Age': 27},
    {'ID': 3, 'Name': 'Charlie', 'Age': 22}
]

# Convert list to DataFrame
df = pd.DataFrame(data)

print(df)
    

This will output:

   ID     Name  Age
0   1    Alice   24
1   2      Bob   27
2   3  Charlie   22
    

3. Using a List with Column Names

If you have a list where the first element represents the column names and the remaining elements represent the rows of data, you can manually specify the column names:

import pandas as pd

# List with column names as the first element
data = [
    ['ID', 'Name', 'Age'],
    [1, 'Alice', 24],
    [2, 'Bob', 27],
    [3, 'Charlie', 22]
]

# Convert list to DataFrame
df = pd.DataFrame(data[1:], columns=data[0])

print(df)
    

This will output:

   ID     Name  Age
0   1    Alice   24
1   2      Bob   27
2   3  Charlie   22
    

4. Conclusion

Converting lists to DataFrames using the pandas library is straightforward. You can choose the method based on the structure of your list—whether it’s a list of lists, a list of dictionaries, or a list with column names. This flexibility allows you to easily manipulate and analyze data in Python.