How do I delete data in a variable without deleting the variable?

Question

I'm trying to make a program which you can add stuff to your shopping list.

shopping_list = ["Eggs", "Milk", "Bread"]

Now i know how to add and remove items, but how do i delete the string or number in a variable without losing the variable?

price = "£12"

If I do del price I destroy the variable. If I try print price i get an error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<pyshell#17>", line 1, in <module>
    print price
NameError: name 'price' is not defined

You seem to have a mistaken mental model of how Python variables work. What do you think it would mean to delete a string? What would print price do after your desired operation? — user2357112
– user2357112, Commented Jun 8, 2016 at 18:01
Not sure if this is what you're hoping to do, but maybe just set price to an empty string: price = "" — bobbyz
– bobbyz, Commented Jun 8, 2016 at 18:02

Brendan Abel · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-08 18:00:34Z

4

Just do

price = None

Anything referenced by that variable will get garbage-collected.

answered Jun 8, 2016 at 18:00

Brendan Abel

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1 Comment

If there's no other reference to that object, it'll get garbage-collected.