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What are tuples?

Tuples are like lists, but they can’t be changed once created. They’re immutable (unchangeable) sequences. Use tuples for data that shouldn’t change:
  • Coordinates (x, y)
  • RGB colors (255, 0, 0)
  • Database records
  • Function return values

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Creating tuples

# Empty tuple
empty = ()

# Tuple with items
point = (3, 5)
colors = ("red", "green", "blue")

# Single item tuple needs comma!
single = (42,)  # Note the comma
not_tuple = (42)  # This is just 42 in parentheses

# Without parentheses (implicit)
coordinates = 10, 20
A single-item tuple needs a comma: (42,) not (42). Without the comma, Python thinks it’s just parentheses around a number!

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Accessing items

Just like lists, tuples use indexing: 
point = (3, 5)
colors = ("red", "green", "blue")

# Get items
print(point[0])      # 3
print(colors[-1])    # "blue"

# Slicing works too
print(colors[0:2])   # ("red", "green")

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Tuple unpacking

Python’s coolest tuple feature: 
# Unpack values
point = (3, 5)
x, y = point  # x = 3, y = 5

# Multiple assignment
a, b, c = 1, 2, 3  # Same as (1, 2, 3)

# Swap variables elegantly
x, y = y, x  # Swaps values!

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Common mistakes

# Wrong - not a tuple
single = (42)
print(type(single))  # <class 'int'>

# Right - include comma
single = (42,)
print(type(single))  # <class 'tuple'>

# Wrong - tuples are immutable
point = (3, 5)
point[0] = 4  # TypeError!

# Right - create a new tuple
point = (4, point[1])
# Or convert to list, modify, convert back
temp = list(point)
temp[0] = 4
point = tuple(temp)

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What’s next?

Finally, let’s explore sets - collections of unique items!

Sets

Unique collections