In the world of Python programming, tuples are a fundamental data structure that often gets overshadowed by lists. However, tuples have their own unique characteristics and use cases that make them valuable in certain situations.
In this article, we will explore everything you need to know about Python tuples — from creating them to accessing their elements and unpacking their contents.
What are Tuples?
A tuple in Python is an immutable sequence of elements. This means that once a tuple is created, its elements cannot be changed. Tuples are defined by enclosing the elements in parentheses ()
and separating them with commas. Unlike lists, tuples are immutable, which makes them suitable for representing fixed collections of items.
Creating Tuples
Creating a tuple in Python is straightforward. You can define a tuple by listing its elements within parentheses. Let’s look at some examples:
# Creating an empty tuple
empty_tuple = ()
# Creating a tuple with elements
my_tuple = (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
# Tuple with mixed data types
mixed_tuple = (1, 'hello', 3.14, True)