Python Tuple (With Examples) (original) (raw)

A tuple is a collection similar to a Python list. The primary difference is that we cannot modify a tuple once it is created.

Create a Python Tuple

We create a tuple by placing items inside parentheses (). For example,

numbers = (1, 2, -5)


print(numbers)

# Output: (1, 2, -5)

More on Tuple Creation

We can also create a tuple using a tuple() constructor. For example,

tuple_constructor = tuple(('Jack', 'Maria', 'David'))
print(tuple_constructor)

# Output: ('Jack', 'Maria', 'David')

Here are the different types of tuples we can create in Python.

Empty Tuple

# create an empty tuple
empty_tuple = ()
print(empty_tuple)

# Output: ()

Tuple of different data types

# tuple of string types
names = ('James', 'Jack', 'Eva')
print (names)

# tuple of float types
float_values = (1.2, 3.4, 2.1)
print(float_values)

Tuple of mixed data types

# tuple including string and integer
mixed_tuple = (2, 'Hello', 'Python')
print(mixed_tuple)

# Output: (2, 'Hello', 'Python')

Tuple Characteristics

Tuples are:

• Ordered - They maintain the order of elements.
• Immutable - They cannot be changed after creation.
• Allow duplicates - They can contain duplicate values.

Access Tuple Items

Each item in a tuple is associated with a number, known as a index.

The index always starts from 0, meaning the first item of a tuple is at index 0, the second item is at index 1, and so on.

Index of Tuple Item

Access Items Using Index

We use index numbers to access tuple items. For example,

languages = ('Python', 'Swift', 'C++')

# access the first item
print(languages[0])   # Python

# access the third item
print(languages[2])   # C++

Access Tuple Items

Tuple Cannot be Modified

Python tuples are immutable (unchangeable). We cannot add, change, or delete items of a tuple.

If we try to modify a tuple, we will get an error. For example,

cars = ('BMW', 'Tesla', 'Ford', 'Toyota')

# trying to modify a tuple
cars[0] = 'Nissan'    # error
       
print(cars)

Python Tuple Length

We use the len() function to find the number of items present in a tuple. For example,

cars = ('BMW', 'Tesla', 'Ford', 'Toyota')
print('Total Items:', len(cars)) 
       
# Output: Total Items: 4

Iterate Through a Tuple

We use the for loop to iterate over the items of a tuple. For example,

fruits = ('apple','banana','orange')

# iterate through the tuple
for fruit in fruits:
    print(fruit)

Output

apple banana orange

More on Python Tuple

We use the in keyword to check if an item exists in the tuple. For example,

colors = ('red', 'orange', 'blue')

print('yellow' in colors)    # False
print('red' in colors)       # True

Here,

• yellow is not present in colors, so, 'yellow' in colors evaluates to False
• red is present in colors, so, 'red' in colors evaluates to True

Python Tuples are immutable - we cannot change the items of a tuple once created.

If we try to do so, we will get an error. For example,

fruits = ('apple', 'cherry', 'orange')

# trying to change the second item to 'banana'
fruits[1] = 'banana'


print(fruits) 

# Output: TypeError: 'tuple' object does not support item assignment

We cannot delete individual items of a tuple. However, we can delete the tuple itself using the del statement. For example,

animals = ('dog', 'cat', 'rat')

# deleting the tuple
del animals

Here, we have deleted the animals tuple.

When we want to create a tuple with a single item, we might do the following:

var = ('Hello')
print(var)  # string

But this would not create a tuple; instead, it would be considered a string.

To solve this, we need to include a trailing comma after the item. For example,

var = ('Hello',) 
print(var)  # tuple

# Output: ('Hello',)

Also Read:

• Python Tuple Methods

Before we wrap up, let’s put your knowledge of Python tuple to the test! Can you solve the following challenge?

Write a function to modify a tuple by adding an element at the end of it.

• For inputs with tuple (1, 2, 3) and element 4, the return value should be (1, 2, 3, 4).
• Hint: You need to first convert the tuple to another data type, such as a list.

Video: Python Lists and Tuples