Delete a Column from a Pandas DataFrame in Python

Delete a Column from a Pandas DataFrame in Python

Answer: You can use the drop(), pop(), column index, df.loc(), and df.iloc() functions to remove the column from the pandas DataFrame.

Deleting a column from a Pandas DataFrame is important because it helps in cleaning and preparing the data. Let’s explore these functions in detail and learn how they are effective methods to delete a column from a Pandas DataFrame in Python.

Table of Contents:

Methods to Delete a Column from a Pandas DataFrame in Python

Python provides various built-in methods to delete a column from a dataframe in pandas. Let’s learn more about these methods with examples:

Method 1: Using drop() Function to Delete a Column from a DataFrame in Python 

1. Using the drop() function to delete the column by mentioning the column name

You can use the drop() function by stating the column name when you need to remove a certain column or row using Pandas DataFrame.

Example:

Python

Output:

2. Using the drop() function to delete the column by mentioning the index

You can also use the drop() function to delete the column by mentioning its index, by using Pandas DataFrame. 

Example:

Python

Output:

Method 2: Using pop() Function to Delete a Column from a DataFrame in Python

Compared to other functions, pop() is different. While the Pandas pop function takes a column as input and pops it, the pop() function often removes the last element when working with a stack.

Example:

Python

Output:

Method 3: Using dropna() Function to Delete a Column from a DataFrame in Python

Depending on the specified criterion, we can remove a column from a pandas dataframe. The parameters for the dropna() function are a subset, thresh, how=any/all, and axis. In the parameter, how=any/all, ‘any’ will delete a row/column with any null value, and ‘all’ will delete all null values.

Example:

Python

Output:

Method 4: Using iloc() Function to Delete a Column from a DataFrame in Python

It is row/column specific, we can delete it based on its index position in Pandas. It is used to delete a range of columns that are respective to their position.

Example:

Python

Output:

Method 5: Using loc() Function to Delete a Column from a DataFrame in Python

If you want to remove the column between the two labeled columns this would be a great choice. We delete the column by mentioning its name. This can be done along with the loc() and drop() functions in Pandas.

Example:

Python

Output:

Conclusion

The above-mentioned functions are used to delete the column in pandas DataFrame and based on your demand the methods can be chosen. Understanding these approaches helps you effectively delete the column from Pandas DataFrame depending on the use cases.

About the Author

Senior Consultant Analytics & Data Science

Sahil Mattoo, a Senior Software Engineer at Eli Lilly and Company, is an accomplished professional with 14 years of experience in languages such as Java, Python, and JavaScript. Sahil has a strong foundation in system architecture, database management, and API integration. 

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