What is the difference between append() and extend() for lists?

Question

Accepted Answer

**append()** adds **one element** to the end. **extend()** adds **multiple elements** from an iterable.

```python
fruits = ["apple"]

# append — adds one element
fruits.append("banana")
fruits.append(["orange", "grape"])  # Adds list as one element
print(fruits)
# ["apple", "banana", ["orange", "grape"]]

# extend — adds elements from iterable
fruits.extend(["orange", "grape"])
print(fruits)
# ["apple", "banana", ["orange", "grape"], "orange", "grape"]
```

**Similar to + operator:**
```python
fruits = ["apple"]
fruits = fruits + ["banana", "orange"]  # Creates new list
fruits += ["grape"]  # Same as extend
```

**Performance:** `extend()` is faster than `+=` for large lists.

Python: What is the difference between append() and extend() for lists?