Reverse a list in Python without reverse function | Example code

In Python use a for loop and swap the first and last items, the second and the one before the last item, and so on until the given list is reversed.

You can also use Recursion or slice notation to reverse a list.

Example reverse a list in Python without reverse function

Simple example code.

Swap method

list1 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
L = len(list1)

for i in range(int(L / 2)):
    n = list1[i]
    list1[i] = list1[L - i - 1]
    list1[L - i - 1] = n

print(list1)

Output:

Recursion Function

list1 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]


def reverse_fun(numbers):
    if len(numbers) == 1:
        return numbers
    # Otherwise
    return reverse_fun(numbers[1:]) + numbers[0:1]


print(reverse_fun(list1))

Sice notation

list1 = ['A', 'B', 'C', 'D']


def reverse(data_list):
    return data_list[::-1]


print(reverse(list1))

Output: [‘D’, ‘C’, ‘B’, ‘A’]

Create a reverse method for a python list from scratch

def reverse_fun(data_list):
    length = len(data_list)
    s = length

    new_list = [None] * length

    for item in data_list:
        s = s - 1
        new_list[s] = item
    return new_list


list1 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
print(reverse_fun(list1))

Output: [5, 4, 3, 2, 1]

Do comment if you have questions and suggestions on this Python list tutorial.

Note: IDE: PyCharm 2021.3.3 (Community Edition)

Windows 10

Python 3.10.1

All Python Examples are in Python 3, so Maybe its different from python 2 or upgraded versions.