Convert Python dict values to list

How can I get a list of Python dict values to list?

In Java, getting the values of a Map as a List is as easy as doing list = map.values();. I’m wondering if there is a similarly simple way in Python to get a list of values from a dict.

To get a python dict values to list, one of the simplest ways is to use the values() method along with the list() function. It’s a clean and straightforward approach:

my_dict = {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c': 3}
values_list = list(my_dict.values())
print(values_list)  # Output: [1, 2, 3]

This approach is efficient and easy to understand. It directly converts the dictionary values into a list without any additional processing.

Another way to achieve the same result, and often more versatile, is to use list comprehension. It’s especially handy if you plan to do more with the data while converting the python dict values to list.

my_dict = {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c': 3}
values_list = [value for value in my_dict.values()]
print(values_list)  # Output: [1, 2, 3]

This method provides more flexibility—for example, filtering or modifying values during extraction. If you’re looking for more control, list comprehensions are the way to go.

For those who prefer functional programming approaches, you can also use the map() function combined with list() to extract a python dict values to list. Here’s how:

my_dict = {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c': 3}
values_list = list(map(lambda x: x, my_dict.values()))
print(values_list)  # Output: [1, 2, 3]

While this method might seem slightly overkill for simple tasks, it shines when you need to apply transformations or additional logic to the values during extraction.