How to change the order of DataFrame columns?

Question

I have the following DataFrame (df):

import numpy as np
import pandas as pd

df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.rand(10, 5))

Answer 1

From August 2018:

If your column names are too long to type then you could specify the new order through a list of integers with the positions:

Data:

          0         1         2         3         4      mean
0  0.397312  0.361846  0.719802  0.575223  0.449205  0.500678
1  0.287256  0.522337  0.992154  0.584221  0.042739  0.485741
2  0.884812  0.464172  0.149296  0.167698  0.793634  0.491923
3  0.656891  0.500179  0.046006  0.862769  0.651065  0.543382
4  0.673702  0.223489  0.438760  0.468954  0.308509  0.422683
5  0.764020  0.093050  0.100932  0.572475  0.416471  0.389390
6  0.259181  0.248186  0.626101  0.556980  0.559413  0.449972
7  0.400591  0.075461  0.096072  0.308755  0.157078  0.207592
8  0.639745  0.368987  0.340573  0.997547  0.011892  0.471749
9  0.050582  0.714160  0.168839  0.899230  0.359690  0.438500

Generic example:

new_order = [3,2,1,4,5,0]
print(df[df.columns[new_order]])  

          3         2         1         4      mean         0
0  0.575223  0.719802  0.361846  0.449205  0.500678  0.397312
1  0.584221  0.992154  0.522337  0.042739  0.485741  0.287256
2  0.167698  0.149296  0.464172  0.793634  0.491923  0.884812
3  0.862769  0.046006  0.500179  0.651065  0.543382  0.656891
4  0.468954  0.438760  0.223489  0.308509  0.422683  0.673702
5  0.572475  0.100932  0.093050  0.416471  0.389390  0.764020
6  0.556980  0.626101  0.248186  0.559413  0.449972  0.259181
7  0.308755  0.096072  0.075461  0.157078  0.207592  0.400591
8  0.997547  0.340573  0.368987  0.011892  0.471749  0.639745
9  0.899230  0.168839  0.714160  0.359690  0.438500  0.050582

      

And for the specific case of OP's question:

new_order = [-1,0,1,2,3,4]
df = df[df.columns[new_order]]
print(df)

       mean         0         1         2         3         4
0  0.500678  0.397312  0.361846  0.719802  0.575223  0.449205
1  0.485741  0.287256  0.522337  0.992154  0.584221  0.042739
2  0.491923  0.884812  0.464172  0.149296  0.167698  0.793634
3  0.543382  0.656891  0.500179  0.046006  0.862769  0.651065
4  0.422683  0.673702  0.223489  0.438760  0.468954  0.308509
5  0.389390  0.764020  0.093050  0.100932  0.572475  0.416471
6  0.449972  0.259181  0.248186  0.626101  0.556980  0.559413
7  0.207592  0.400591  0.075461  0.096072  0.308755  0.157078
8  0.471749  0.639745  0.368987  0.340573  0.997547  0.011892
9  0.438500  0.050582  0.714160  0.168839  0.899230  0.359690

The main problem with this approach is that calling the same code multiple times will create different results each time, so one needs to be careful :)

Answer 2

Just assign the column names in the order you want them:

In [39]: df
Out[39]: 
          0         1         2         3         4  mean
0  0.172742  0.915661  0.043387  0.712833  0.190717     1
1  0.128186  0.424771  0.590779  0.771080  0.617472     1
2  0.125709  0.085894  0.989798  0.829491  0.155563     1
3  0.742578  0.104061  0.299708  0.616751  0.951802     1
4  0.721118  0.528156  0.421360  0.105886  0.322311     1
5  0.900878  0.082047  0.224656  0.195162  0.736652     1
6  0.897832  0.558108  0.318016  0.586563  0.507564     1
7  0.027178  0.375183  0.930248  0.921786  0.337060     1
8  0.763028  0.182905  0.931756  0.110675  0.423398     1
9  0.848996  0.310562  0.140873  0.304561  0.417808     1

In [40]: df = df[['mean', 4,3,2,1]]

Now, 'mean' column comes out in the front:

In [41]: df
Out[41]: 
   mean         4         3         2         1
0     1  0.190717  0.712833  0.043387  0.915661
1     1  0.617472  0.771080  0.590779  0.424771
2     1  0.155563  0.829491  0.989798  0.085894
3     1  0.951802  0.616751  0.299708  0.104061
4     1  0.322311  0.105886  0.421360  0.528156
5     1  0.736652  0.195162  0.224656  0.082047
6     1  0.507564  0.586563  0.318016  0.558108
7     1  0.337060  0.921786  0.930248  0.375183
8     1  0.423398  0.110675  0.931756  0.182905
9     1  0.417808  0.304561  0.140873  0.310562

Answer 3

I think this is a slightly neater solution:

df.insert(0,'mean', df.pop("mean"))

This solution is somewhat similar to @JoeHeffer 's solution but this is one liner.

Here we remove the column "mean" from the dataframe and attach it to index 0 with the same column name.

Answer 4

@clocker: Your solution was very helpful for me, as I wanted to bring two columns in front from a dataframe where I do not know exactly the names of all columns, because they are generated from a pivot statement before. So, if you are in the same situation: To bring columns in front that you know the name of and then let them follow by "all the other columns", I came up with the following general solution;

df = df.reindex_axis(['Col1','Col2'] + list(df.columns.drop(['Col1','Col2'])), axis=1)

Answer 5

You can use a set which is an unordered collection of unique elements to do keep the "order of the other columns untouched":

other_columns = list(set(df.columns).difference(["mean"])) #[0, 1, 2, 3, 4]

Then, you can use a lambda to move a specific column to the front by:

In [1]: import numpy as np                                                                               

In [2]: import pandas as pd                                                                              

In [3]: df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.rand(10, 5))                                                         

In [4]: df["mean"] = df.mean(1)                                                                          

In [5]: move_col_to_front = lambda df, col: df[[col]+list(set(df.columns).difference([col]))]            

In [6]: move_col_to_front(df, "mean")                                                                    
Out[6]: 
       mean         0         1         2         3         4
0  0.697253  0.600377  0.464852  0.938360  0.945293  0.537384
1  0.609213  0.703387  0.096176  0.971407  0.955666  0.319429
2  0.561261  0.791842  0.302573  0.662365  0.728368  0.321158
3  0.518720  0.710443  0.504060  0.663423  0.208756  0.506916
4  0.616316  0.665932  0.794385  0.163000  0.664265  0.793995
5  0.519757  0.585462  0.653995  0.338893  0.714782  0.305654
6  0.532584  0.434472  0.283501  0.633156  0.317520  0.994271
7  0.640571  0.732680  0.187151  0.937983  0.921097  0.423945
8  0.562447  0.790987  0.200080  0.317812  0.641340  0.862018
9  0.563092  0.811533  0.662709  0.396048  0.596528  0.348642

In [7]: move_col_to_front(df, 2)                                                                         
Out[7]: 
          2         0         1         3         4      mean
0  0.938360  0.600377  0.464852  0.945293  0.537384  0.697253
1  0.971407  0.703387  0.096176  0.955666  0.319429  0.609213
2  0.662365  0.791842  0.302573  0.728368  0.321158  0.561261
3  0.663423  0.710443  0.504060  0.208756  0.506916  0.518720
4  0.163000  0.665932  0.794385  0.664265  0.793995  0.616316
5  0.338893  0.585462  0.653995  0.714782  0.305654  0.519757
6  0.633156  0.434472  0.283501  0.317520  0.994271  0.532584
7  0.937983  0.732680  0.187151  0.921097  0.423945  0.640571
8  0.317812  0.790987  0.200080  0.641340  0.862018  0.562447
9  0.396048  0.811533  0.662709  0.596528  0.348642  0.563092

Answer 6

Simply do,

df = df[['mean'] + df.columns[:-1].tolist()]