title: What is the most efficient string concatenation method in Python?
body: <p>Is there an efficient mass string concatenation method in Python (like <em><a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/base-types/stringbuilder" rel="noreferrer">StringBuilder</a></em> in C# or <em>StringBuffer</em> in Java)?</p>
  <p>I found following methods <a href="http://skymind.com/%7Eocrow/python_string/" rel="noreferrer">here</a>:</p>
  <ul>
  <li>Simple concatenation using <code>+</code></li>
  <li>Using a string list and the <code>join</code> method</li>
  <li>Using <code>UserString</code> from the <code>MutableString</code> module</li>
  <li>Using a character array and the <code>array</code> module</li>
  <li>Using <code>cStringIO</code> from the <code>StringIO</code> module</li>
  </ul>
  <p>What should be used and why?</p>
  <p>(<a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1349311/python-string-join-is-faster-than-but-whats-wrong-here">A related question is here.</a>)</p>