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Fix IndexError in Python

Error Reference

IndexError: list index out of range

You accessed a position that doesn't exist. Here's how to avoid it.

Prevention tipsUse enumerations

Prevention​

  • Check length before accessing: if index < len(items): ...
  • Use slicing for safe list access, or dict.get() for safe dict lookups.
  • Prefer for item in items loops instead of manual indexes when possible.

Example fix​

for i in range(len(users)):
    print(users[i])  # IndexError when users is empty

# Better:
for user in users:
    print(user)

Next up in your learning path

KeyError

Handle missing dictionary keys.

Related

List slicing

Manipulate lists safely with slices.

Companion

Loop control

Use continue/break to guard loops.

Practice