Python - Convert stringified list back to list

Question

I have a stringified list:

a = ['one', 'two']
a = str(a)

After which, a would be

"['one', 'two']"

Is there a way to go from this string format back to a list like the original format?

Thanks

ast_literal_eval or `ast.literal_eval` – Avinash Raj Jun 22 '15 at 09:47 — Avinash Raj, Jun 22 '15 at 09:47

score 11 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 22 '15 at 09:48

11

use eval :

a = eval("['one', 'two']")

answered Jun 22 '15 at 09:48

sachin saxena

3

Please read why `eval` should be avoided in [this answer](http://stackoverflow.com/a/1832957/1903116) – thefourtheye Jun 22 '15 at 09:50
The correct way is to use ast: import ast; x = ast.literal_eval(a) – GNUton Sep 26 '22 at 11:37

1 Answers1