Python del Statement

In this tutorial, you will learn to use the del keyword with the help of examples.

The Python del keyword is used to delete objects. Its syntax is:

# delete obj_name
del obj_name

Here, obj_name can be variables, user-defined objects, lists, items within lists, dictionaries etc.

1. Example 1: Delete an user-defined object

class MyClass:
    a = 10
    def func(self):
        print('Hello')

# Output: 
print(MyClass)

# deleting MyClass
del MyClass

# Error: MyClass is not defined
print(MyClass)	

In the program, we have deleted MyClass using del MyClass statement.

2. Example 2: Delete variable, list, and dictionary

my_var = 5
my_tuple = ('Sam', 25)
my_dict = {'name': 'Sam', 'age': 25}

del my_var
del my_tuple
del my_dict

# Error: my_var is not defined
print(my_var)

# Error: my_tuple is not defined
print(my_tuple)

# Error: my_dict is not defined
print(my_dict)

3. Example 3: Remove items, slices from a list

The del statement can be used to delete an item at a given index. It can also be used to remove slices from a list.

my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

# deleting the third item
del my_list[2]

# Output: [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
print(my_list)

# deleting items from 2nd to 4th
del my_list[1:4]

# Output: [1, 6, 7, 8, 9]
print(my_list)

# deleting all elements
del my_list[:]

# Output: []
print(my_list)

4. Example 4: Remove a key:value pair from a dictionary

person = { 'name': 'Sam',
  'age': 25,
  'profession': 'Programmer'
}

del person['profession']

# Output: {'name': 'Sam', 'age': 25}
print(person)

5. del With Tuples and Strings

Note: You can’t delete items of tuples and strings in Python. It’s because tuples and strings are immutables; objects that can’t be changed after their creation.

my_tuple = (1, 2, 3)

# Error: 'tuple' object doesn't support item deletion
del my_tuple[1]

However, you can delete an entire tuple or string.

my_tuple = (1, 2, 3)

# deleting tuple
del my_tuple