Python indexerror: list assignment index out of range Solution

IndexError is one of the most common errors that arise when we try to use an index value out of the range of a string, list, or tuple. This error will not give you a hard time if you know how this error raises and how to debug it.

In this Python tutorial, we will discuss the " list assignment index out of range " error which is a Python IndexError tutorial. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a complete idea about this error and how to solve it. So let's get started with the error.

The Problem: IndexError: list assignment index out of range

The error statement is divided into two parts the Error Type and the Error Message.

1. Error Type ( IndexError ) : This error raises when we try to use an index value that is out of the iterator range.
2. Error Message ( list assignment index out of range ): This error message is telling us that we are trying to assign a new element to that index value that does not exist in the list.

Example

my_list = ['a', 'b', 'c']

# assinging an element to a index that does not exist
my_list[3]= 'd'

Output

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "main.py", line 4, in <module>
my_list[3]= 'd'
IndexError: list assignment index out of range

Analyze Output

We are getting this error because our list my_list contain only 3 elements, which make it index range from 0 to 2 . But in line 4, we are assigning the new value 'd' at my_list index 3 , that does not exist. That's why the Python interpreter threw IndexError: list assignment index out of range error.

Solutions

The very straightforward solution to solve this problem is using the Python append() method. The append method adds the new element at the end of the list. Because at last, we are getting this error because we are trying to access that list index that is out of the listed range. The append method will help us to add a new element by adding them at the end of the list.

Solution

Let's solve the above example using the append method

my_list = ['a', 'b', 'c']

#add element at the end of the list
my_list.append('d')

print(my_list)

Output

['a', 'b', 'c', 'd']

Conclusion

In this Python tutorial, we learned what is IndexError: list assignment index out of range” error in Python, and how to debug it using the Python list append method. Every time you see an index error in your Python shell, the first thing that should pop into your mind is that you are using an out-of-range index number.

A little bit of logic and error handling practice in Python will teach you how to solve this and all the other common errors in Python.

If you are still getting this error in your Python program, feel free to comment your code and query in the comment section. We will try to help you in debugging.

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