Django

Lists and Tuples

Lists and Tuples in Python: Organizing Your Data Efficiently

When programming, you often need to store collections of items — like names, numbers, or objects. Python makes this easy with lists and tuples, two versatile ways to group data together.

Let’s explore what they are, how they differ, and when to use each.

What Are Lists?

  • Lists are ordered, mutable collections of items.

  • You can store any data type: numbers, strings, even other lists!

  • Lists are defined with square brackets [].

Creating a List

python
fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]

Accessing Elements

python
print(fruits[0]) # Output: apple
print(fruits[-1]) # Output: cherry (last item)

Modifying Lists

Since lists are mutable, you can:

  • Add items: fruits.append("orange")

  • Change items: fruits[1] = "blueberry"

  • Remove items: fruits.remove("apple") or fruits.pop(2)

What Are Tuples?

  • Tuples are ordered, but immutable — once created, you cannot change them.

  • Also defined as collections of items, but use parentheses ().

Creating a Tuple

python
coordinates = (10.0, 20.0)

Accessing Elements

Same as lists, indexing works the same way:

python
print(coordinates[1]) # Output: 20.0

Immutability Means…

  • You can’t add, remove, or modify elements in a tuple.

  • Great for fixed data that shouldn’t change accidentally.

Key Differences: Lists vs Tuples

Feature List Tuple
Syntax [1, 2, 3] (1, 2, 3)
Mutability Mutable (can change) Immutable (can’t change)
Use case Data that may need modification Fixed data, constants
Performance Slightly slower due to mutability Slightly faster and safer

When to Use Which?

  • Use lists when you need to modify, add, or remove items.

  • Use tuples for fixed collections of data, like coordinates or fixed settings.

  • Tuples can also be used as dictionary keys because they are immutable.

️ Quick Examples

List Example: Managing a To-Do List

python
tasks = ["clean", "cook", "shop"]
tasks.append("study")
tasks[0] = "clean room"
print(tasks)
# Output: ['clean room', 'cook', 'shop', 'study']

Tuple Example: Representing a Point in 2D Space

python
point = (5, 10)
# point[0] = 7 # This will raise an error!
print(point)
# Output: (5, 10)

Summary

  • Lists: Ordered, mutable collections. Use when you need to change data.

  • Tuples: Ordered, immutable collections. Use for fixed data.

  • Both support indexing and slicing.

  • Choosing between them depends on whether your data should be changeable.

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