The del keyword in Python is primarily used to delete objects in Python. Since everything in Python represents an object in one way or another, The del keyword can also be used to delete a list, slice a list, delete dictionaries, remove key-value pairs from a dictionary, delete variables, etc.
Syntax: del object_name
Below are various examples that showcase various use cases of the del keyword:
Del Keyword for Deleting Objects
In the program below we will delete Sample_class using del Sample_class statement.
Python3
class Sample_class: some_variable = 20 # method of the class def my_method(self): print("GeeksForGeeks") # check if class existsprint(Sample_class) # delete the class using del keyworddel Sample_class # check if class existsprint(Sample_class) |
Output:
class '__main__.Sample_class'
NameError:name 'Sample_class' is not defined
Del Keyword for Deleting Variables
In the program below we will delete a variable using del keyword.
Python3
my_variable1 = 20my_variable2 = "GeeksForGeeks" # check if my_variable1 and my_variable2 existsprint(my_variable1)print(my_variable2) # delete both the variablesdel my_variable1del my_variable2 # check if my_variable1 and my_variable2 existsprint(my_variable1)print(my_variable2) |
Output:
20
GeeksForGeeks
NameError: name 'my_variable1' is not defined
Del Keyword for Deleting List and List Slicing
In the program below we will delete a list and slice another list using del keyword.
Python3
my_list1 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]my_list2 =["Geeks", "For", "Geek"] # check if my_list1 and my_list2 existsprint(my_list1)print(my_list2) # delete second element of my_list1del my_list1[1] # check if the second element in my_list1 is deletedprint(my_list1) # slice my_list1 from index 3 to 5del my_list1[3:5] # check if the elements from index 3 to 5 in my_list1 is deletedprint(my_list1) # delete my_list2del my_list2 # check if my_list2 existsprint(my_list2) |
Output:
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
['Geeks', 'For', 'Geek']
[1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
[1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9]
NameError: name 'my_list2' is not defined
Del Keyword for Deleting Dictionaries and Removing key-value Pairs
In the program below we will delete a dictionary and remove few key-value pairs using del keyword.
Python3
my_dict1 = {"small": "big", "black": "white", "up": "down"}my_dict2 = {"dark": "light", "fat": "thin", "sky": "land"} # check if my_dict1 and my_dict2 existsprint(my_dict1)print(my_dict2) # delete key-value pair with key "black" from my_dict1del my_dict1["black"] # check if the key-value pair with key "black" from my_dict1 is deletedprint(my_dict1) # delete my_dict2del my_dict2 # check if my_dict2 existsprint(my_dict2) |
Output:
{'small': 'big', 'black': 'white', 'up': 'down'}
{'dark': 'light', 'fat': 'thin', 'sky': 'land'}
{'small': 'big', 'up': 'down'}
NameError: name 'my_dict2' is not defined
