---
title: "list.append"
space: "Student Handbook"
url: "https://portal.cs17.org/student-handbook/python-manual/lists/append"
updated: "2026-10-05"
---

Adds an item to the end of a list.

## Synopsis

```python
items.append(item)
```

## Description

`append` changes the list itself. Start with an empty list, `[]`, and grow it.

## Parameters

| Name | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| `item` | The value to add. |

## Return value

Nothing (`None`). The list itself changes.

## Example

```python
names = []
names.append("Ada")
names.append("Grace")
print(names)
print(len(names))
```

It prints:

```text
['Ada', 'Grace']
2
```

## Common mistake

```python
names = ["Ada"]
names = names.append("Grace")
print(names)
```

It prints:

```text
None
```

`append` returns `None`, so this throws the list away. Write `names.append("Grace")` on its own line.

## See also

[list.pop](/student-handbook/python-manual/lists/pop), [len](/student-handbook/python-manual/built-in-functions/len)

[list.append in the Python documentation](https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/datastructures.html#more-on-lists)