Why did electric lighting begin to replace gas lighting in the early 20th century?

Electric lighting began to replace gas lighting in the early 20th century primarily because it offered a cleaner and safer alternative to coal-gas jets, which were associated with soot and fire hazards.1

While gas lighting had been the standard for urban illumination throughout the 19th century, the development of the incandescent lamp by Thomas Edison and Sir Joseph Wilson Swan provided a practical, subdividable light source that could be easily adapted for domestic use. The subsequent introduction of tungsten filaments in the early 1900s significantly improved the efficiency and light quality of electric bulbs compared to earlier carbon-filament versions.213

Although gas lighting remained competitive for a time due to the invention of the gas mantle, which enhanced light output, the convenience and technological advancements of electric systems—supported by the widespread construction of generating equipment—led to the rapid transition toward electricity for general illumination by 1911.24