根据我的经验，最有效的将列表的列表扁平化的方法是:

flat_list = []
map(flat_list.extend, list_of_list)

有时与其他提出的方法进行比较:

list_of_list = [range(10)]*1000
%timeit flat_list=[]; map(flat_list.extend, list_of_list)
#10000 loops, best of 3: 119 µs per loop
%timeit flat_list=list(itertools.chain.from_iterable(list_of_list))
#1000 loops, best of 3: 210 µs per loop
%timeit flat_list=[i for sublist in list_of_list for i in sublist]
#1000 loops, best of 3: 525 µs per loop
%timeit flat_list=reduce(list.__add__,list_of_list)
#100 loops, best of 3: 18.1 ms per loop

现在，当处理更长的子列表时，效率增益会更好:

list_of_list = [range(1000)]*10
%timeit flat_list=[]; map(flat_list.extend, list_of_list)
#10000 loops, best of 3: 60.7 µs per loop
%timeit flat_list=list(itertools.chain.from_iterable(list_of_list))
#10000 loops, best of 3: 176 µs per loop

这个方法也适用于任何迭代对象:

class SquaredRange(object):
    def __init__(self, n): 
        self.range = range(n)
    def __iter__(self):
        for i in self.range: 
            yield i**2

list_of_list = [SquaredRange(5)]*3
flat_list = []
map(flat_list.extend, list_of_list)
print flat_list
#[0, 1, 4, 9, 16, 0, 1, 4, 9, 16, 0, 1, 4, 9, 16]

这个版本是一个生成器。如果你想要一个列表，可以调整一下。

def list_or_tuple(l):
    return isinstance(l,(list,tuple))
## predicate will select the container  to be flattened
## write your own as required
## this one flattens every list/tuple


def flatten(seq,predicate=list_or_tuple):        
    ## recursive generator 
    for i in seq:
        if predicate(seq):
            for j in flatten(i):
                yield j
        else:
            yield i

如果想将满足条件的谓词平展，可以添加谓词

摘自python食谱

你试过扁平化吗? 从matplotlib.cbook。Flatten (seq, scalarp=) ?

l=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6], [7], [8,9]]*33

run("list(flatten(l))")
         3732 function calls (3303 primitive calls) in 0.007 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
        1    0.000    0.000    0.007    0.007 <string>:1(<module>)
      429    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.000 cbook.py:475(iterable)
      429    0.002    0.000    0.003    0.000 cbook.py:484(is_string_like)
      429    0.002    0.000    0.006    0.000 cbook.py:565(is_scalar_or_string)
  727/298    0.001    0.000    0.007    0.000 cbook.py:605(flatten)
      429    0.000    0.000    0.001    0.000 core.py:5641(isMaskedArray)
      858    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.000 {isinstance}
      429    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {iter}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



l=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6], [7], [8,9]]*66

run("list(flatten(l))")
         7461 function calls (6603 primitive calls) in 0.007 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
        1    0.000    0.000    0.007    0.007 <string>:1(<module>)
      858    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.000 cbook.py:475(iterable)
      858    0.002    0.000    0.003    0.000 cbook.py:484(is_string_like)
      858    0.002    0.000    0.006    0.000 cbook.py:565(is_scalar_or_string)
 1453/595    0.001    0.000    0.007    0.000 cbook.py:605(flatten)
      858    0.000    0.000    0.001    0.000 core.py:5641(isMaskedArray)
     1716    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.000 {isinstance}
      858    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {iter}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



l=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6], [7], [8,9]]*99

run("list(flatten(l))")
         11190 function calls (9903 primitive calls) in 0.010 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
        1    0.000    0.000    0.010    0.010 <string>:1(<module>)
     1287    0.002    0.000    0.002    0.000 cbook.py:475(iterable)
     1287    0.003    0.000    0.004    0.000 cbook.py:484(is_string_like)
     1287    0.002    0.000    0.009    0.000 cbook.py:565(is_scalar_or_string)
 2179/892    0.001    0.000    0.010    0.000 cbook.py:605(flatten)
     1287    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.000 core.py:5641(isMaskedArray)
     2574    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.000 {isinstance}
     1287    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {iter}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



l=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6], [7], [8,9]]*132

run("list(flatten(l))")
         14919 function calls (13203 primitive calls) in 0.013 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
        1    0.000    0.000    0.013    0.013 <string>:1(<module>)
     1716    0.002    0.000    0.002    0.000 cbook.py:475(iterable)
     1716    0.004    0.000    0.006    0.000 cbook.py:484(is_string_like)
     1716    0.003    0.000    0.011    0.000 cbook.py:565(is_scalar_or_string)
2905/1189    0.002    0.000    0.013    0.000 cbook.py:605(flatten)
     1716    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.000 core.py:5641(isMaskedArray)
     3432    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.000 {isinstance}
     1716    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.000 {iter}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler'

更新 这给了我另一个想法:

l=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6], [7], [8,9]]*33

run("flattenlist(l)")
         564 function calls (432 primitive calls) in 0.000 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
    133/1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 <ipython-input-55-39b139bad497>:4(flattenlist)
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 <string>:1(<module>)
      429    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {isinstance}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



l=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6], [7], [8,9]]*66

run("flattenlist(l)")
         1125 function calls (861 primitive calls) in 0.001 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
    265/1    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.001 <ipython-input-55-39b139bad497>:4(flattenlist)
        1    0.000    0.000    0.001    0.001 <string>:1(<module>)
      858    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {isinstance}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



l=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6], [7], [8,9]]*99

run("flattenlist(l)")
         1686 function calls (1290 primitive calls) in 0.001 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
    397/1    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.001 <ipython-input-55-39b139bad497>:4(flattenlist)
        1    0.000    0.000    0.001    0.001 <string>:1(<module>)
     1287    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {isinstance}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



l=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6], [7], [8,9]]*132

run("flattenlist(l)")
         2247 function calls (1719 primitive calls) in 0.002 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
    529/1    0.001    0.000    0.002    0.002 <ipython-input-55-39b139bad497>:4(flattenlist)
        1    0.000    0.000    0.002    0.002 <string>:1(<module>)
     1716    0.001    0.000    0.001    0.000 {isinstance}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



l=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6], [7], [8,9]]*1320

run("flattenlist(l)")
         22443 function calls (17163 primitive calls) in 0.016 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
   5281/1    0.011    0.000    0.016    0.016 <ipython-input-55-39b139bad497>:4(flattenlist)
        1    0.000    0.000    0.016    0.016 <string>:1(<module>)
    17160    0.005    0.000    0.005    0.000 {isinstance}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}

因此，为了测试当递归深入时它的有效性:深入多少?

l=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6], [7], [8,9]]*1320

new=[l]*33

run("flattenlist(new)")
         740589 function calls (566316 primitive calls) in 0.418 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
 174274/1    0.281    0.000    0.417    0.417 <ipython-input-55-39b139bad497>:4(flattenlist)
        1    0.001    0.001    0.418    0.418 <string>:1(<module>)
   566313    0.136    0.000    0.136    0.000 {isinstance}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



new=[l]*66

run("flattenlist(new)")
         1481175 function calls (1132629 primitive calls) in 0.809 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
 348547/1    0.542    0.000    0.807    0.807 <ipython-input-55-39b139bad497>:4(flattenlist)
        1    0.002    0.002    0.809    0.809 <string>:1(<module>)
  1132626    0.266    0.000    0.266    0.000 {isinstance}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



new=[l]*99

run("flattenlist(new)")
         2221761 function calls (1698942 primitive calls) in 1.211 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
 522820/1    0.815    0.000    1.208    1.208 <ipython-input-55-39b139bad497>:4(flattenlist)
        1    0.002    0.002    1.211    1.211 <string>:1(<module>)
  1698939    0.393    0.000    0.393    0.000 {isinstance}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



new=[l]*132

run("flattenlist(new)")
         2962347 function calls (2265255 primitive calls) in 1.630 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
 697093/1    1.091    0.000    1.627    1.627 <ipython-input-55-39b139bad497>:4(flattenlist)
        1    0.003    0.003    1.630    1.630 <string>:1(<module>)
  2265252    0.536    0.000    0.536    0.000 {isinstance}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}



new=[l]*1320

run("flattenlist(new)")
         29623443 function calls (22652523 primitive calls) in 16.103 seconds

   Ordered by: standard name

   ncalls  tottime  percall  cumtime  percall filename:lineno(function)
6970921/1   10.842    0.000   16.069   16.069 <ipython-input-55-39b139bad497>:4(flattenlist)
        1    0.034    0.034   16.103   16.103 <string>:1(<module>)
 22652520    5.227    0.000    5.227    0.000 {isinstance}
        1    0.000    0.000    0.000    0.000 {method 'disable' of '_lsprof.Profiler' objects}

我打赌“扁平化”我将使用这个而不是matplobib很长很长一段时间，除非我想要一个yield生成器和快速的结果“扁平化”使用matplobib .cbook

这个，是快的。

这是代码

:

typ=(list,tuple)


def flattenlist(d):
    thelist = []
    for x in d:
        if not isinstance(x,typ):
            thelist += [x]
        else:
            thelist += flattenlist(x)
    return thelist

一个简单的替代方法是使用numpy的concatate，但它将内容转换为浮点数:

import numpy as np
print np.concatenate([[1,2],[3],[5,89],[],[6]])
# array([  1.,   2.,   3.,   5.,  89.,   6.])
print list(np.concatenate([[1,2],[3],[5,89],[],[6]]))
# [  1.,   2.,   3.,   5.,  89.,   6.]

在Python 3.4中，你可以做到:

[*innerlist for innerlist in outer_list]

在Python 2.6中，使用chain.from_iterable():

>>> from itertools import chain
>>> list(chain.from_iterable(mi.image_set.all() for mi in h.get_image_menu()))

避免了中间列表的创建。