Welcome to the Treehouse Community
Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.
Looking to learn something new?
Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.
Start your free trial![](https://ecs-static.teamtreehouse.com/assets/views/marketing/shared/community-banner-white-47072046c51352fe6a69f5e691ff5700b28bb11d45197d7bdf066d9ea3f72d0c.webp)
![Erik Embervine](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4a92615fdf07f5345a96cffb08d9d8f9?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fecs-static.teamtreehouse.com%2Fassets%2Fcontent%2Fdefault_avatar-445fbbabfc8dc9188fb5967fe43322ee0c3e0dd1e10f378bf8343784af5a13eb.webp&r=pg)
Erik Embervine
Python Development Techdegree Student 2,442 Pointspop and del
so, after watching the video and reading some of the FAQs, if i understand correctly... both pop() and del will remove a label/reference to a list object in memory, and if the list object is not assigned a new label (either before or after the old label is removed), the object will eventually be garbage collected in both cases?
and that pop() is more suited for reassigning list objects new labels (since we can remove and reassign list object labels in 1 line of code) while del is better suited for removing object labels for subsequent garbage collection (since you'd otherwise need 2 lines of code to reassign the list object a new label before removing the old label with the del keyword)?
1 Answer
![Steven Parker](https://uploads.teamtreehouse.com/production/profile-photos/969492/micro_tool_chess_set_2.jpg)
Steven Parker
230,688 PointsAnother difference is that del can remove more than a single item — it can also remove a slice, the entire list contents, or the list itself.
For more details, see the Python documentation on the del statement.
Erik Embervine
Python Development Techdegree Student 2,442 PointsErik Embervine
Python Development Techdegree Student 2,442 Pointsgood to know, thanks Steven