{"id":74939,"date":"2020-01-08T11:07:41","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T05:37:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techvidvan.com\/tutorials\/?p=74939"},"modified":"2020-01-08T11:07:41","modified_gmt":"2020-01-08T05:37:41","slug":"python-tuples-vs-lists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techvidvan.com\/tutorials\/python-tuples-vs-lists\/","title":{"rendered":"Python Tuples vs Lists – The clash of Mutables and Immutables"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this Python tuples vs lists article, we are going to see the things that make tuples<\/strong> and lists<\/strong> similar and things that distinguish them from each other.<\/p>\n

Tuples and lists have a lot in common so one can easily get confused<\/strong> about what to use when.<\/p>\n

We will also learn some good practices and how you can effectively<\/strong> decide which one you should use in different situations.\"python<\/a><\/p>\n

Python Tuples vs Lists<\/h3>\n

Now, we are going to see different parameters<\/strong> differentiating Python tuples<\/strong> and lists<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Syntax Differences<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s start by a quick study of Tuples and lists syntax<\/strong> structures.<\/p>\n

Python Tuples<\/h4>\n

Tuple is a collection<\/strong> of items<\/strong> and they are immutable<\/strong>. To create a tuple, we surround the items in parenthesis (<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n

tuple1 = (1,2,3,4)\ntuple2 = (1,2.5,\u201dHey\u201d, False )\nprint( type(tuple1) )<\/pre>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
<class \u2018tuple\u2019><\/div>\n
Python Lists<\/h4>\n
Lists are a mutable collection<\/strong> of items<\/strong>. We use square brackets<\/strong> to surround the items []<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n
list1 = [1,2,3,4]\nlist2 = [1, 5.5, \u201cHello\u201d, True]\nprint( type(list1) )<\/pre>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
<class \u2018list\u2019><\/div>\n
Accessing, Indexing, Slicing<\/h4>\n
In most of the parts, tuples and lists are similar<\/strong> to each other. Indexing<\/strong> and slicing<\/strong> are the same in tuples<\/strong> as lists<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s see a quick example.<\/p>\n
Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n
list1 = [1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9]\ntuple1 = (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9)\nprint( list1[3] , tuple1[3] )\nprint( list1[1:3] , tuple1[1:3] )<\/pre>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
5 5
\n[2, 4] (2, 4)<\/div>\n
Mutability<\/h3>\n
This is the most important difference<\/strong> that distinguishes tuples from lists.<\/p>\n
Mutability means the ability to change<\/strong>. In the context of Python objects, a mutable object<\/strong> can be changed<\/strong> by adding<\/strong> or removing items<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Mutable List<\/h4>\n
Lists<\/strong> are mutable<\/strong> in nature which means we can add<\/strong> or remove<\/strong> items from the list. Let\u2019s try changing<\/strong> and adding<\/strong> a new element<\/strong> in our list.<\/p>\n
Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n
list1 = [1, 2, 4, 4]\nlist1[2] = 3\nprint(list1)\nlist1.append(5)\nprint(list1)<\/pre>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
[1, 2, 3, 4]
\n[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]<\/div>\n
As you see, we can change<\/strong> and add new elements<\/strong> in the list without any problem. Now let\u2019s try removing<\/strong> the element at the second index<\/strong> from the list.<\/p>\n
Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n
list1.remove(2)\nprint(list1)<\/pre>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
[1, 3, 4, 5]<\/div>\n
Hence we see that lists are mutable<\/strong> creatures.<\/p>\n
Immutable Tuple<\/h4>\n
Tuples<\/strong> are immutable<\/strong> so we cannot change<\/strong>, add<\/strong> or remove<\/strong> any item<\/strong> once a tuple is created<\/strong>. Let\u2019s try changing a value in tuple.<\/p>\n
Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n
tuple1 = (1, 2, 3, 4)\ntuple1[2] = 3<\/pre>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
Traceback (most recent call last):
\n\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>File “<stdin>”, line 2, in <module>
\nTypeError: ‘tuple’ object does not support item assignment<\/div>\n
Tuples items cannot be changed however, we can reassign<\/strong> the entire tuple<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n
tuple1 = (10, 30, 20, 40)\nprint( tuple1 )\ntuple1 = (99, 100, 101, 102)\nprint( tuple1 )<\/pre>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
(10, 30, 20, 40)
\n(99, 100, 101, 102)<\/div>\n
Now the variable is reassigned<\/strong> to reference<\/strong> a different tuple<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Methods<\/h3>\n
There are differences in the available methods on lists and tuples. Some methods are common in both the data structures.<\/p>\n
Other methods like append()<\/strong>, insert()<\/strong>, pop()<\/strong>, remove()<\/strong>, reverse()<\/strong> and sort()<\/strong> are available in lists<\/strong> while tuples<\/strong> have less methods because of its nature of immutability<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Python List Methods<\/h4>\n
There are 46<\/strong> available methods on lists<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n
len(dir( list))\ndir( list )<\/pre>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
46
\n[‘__add__’, ‘__class__’, ‘__contains__’, ‘__delattr__’, ‘__delitem__’, ‘__dir__’, ‘__doc__’, ‘__eq__’, ‘__format__’, ‘__ge__’, ‘__getattribute__’, ‘__getitem__’, ‘__gt__’, ‘__hash__’, ‘__iadd__’, ‘__imul__’, ‘__init__’, ‘__init_subclass__’, ‘__iter__’, ‘__le__’, ‘__len__’, ‘__lt__’, ‘__mul__’, ‘__ne__’, ‘__new__’, ‘__reduce__’, ‘__reduce_ex__’, ‘__repr__’, ‘__reversed__’, ‘__rmul__’, ‘__setattr__’, ‘__setitem__’, ‘__sizeof__’, ‘__str__’, ‘__subclasshook__’, ‘append’, ‘clear’, ‘copy’, ‘count’, ‘extend’, ‘index’, ‘insert’, ‘pop’, ‘remove’, ‘reverse’, ‘sort’]<\/div>\n
Python Tuple Methods<\/h4>\n
There are 33<\/strong> available methods on tuples<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n
len(dir( tuple))\nprint( dir( tuple ) )<\/pre>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
33
\n[‘__add__’, ‘__class__’, ‘__contains__’, ‘__delattr__’, ‘__dir__’, ‘__doc__’, ‘__eq__’, ‘__format__’, ‘__ge__’, ‘__getattribute__’, ‘__getitem__’, ‘__getnewargs__’, ‘__gt__’, ‘__hash__’, ‘__init__’, ‘__init_subclass__’, ‘__iter__’, ‘__le__’, ‘__len__’, ‘__lt__’, ‘__mul__’, ‘__ne__’, ‘__new__’, ‘__reduce__’, ‘__reduce_ex__’, ‘__repr__’, ‘__rmul__’, ‘__setattr__’, ‘__sizeof__’, ‘__str__’, ‘__subclasshook__’, ‘count’, ‘index’]<\/div>\n
Functions<\/h3>\n
Most of the Python functions can be applied on both lists<\/strong> and tuples<\/strong>. These functions include len()<\/strong>, max()<\/strong>, min()<\/strong>, sum()<\/strong>, any()<\/strong>, all()<\/strong>, sorted()<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s see some of those and you can check the rest by applying yourself.<\/p>\n
Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n
num_list = [3,8,6,4,10]\nnum_tuple = (3,8,6,4,10)\n\nprint( max(num_list), max(num_tuple) )\nprint( sum(num_list), sum(num_tuple) )\nprint( sorted(num_list), sorted(num_tuple) )<\/pre>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
10 10
\n31 31
\n[3, 4, 6, 8, 10] [3, 4, 6, 8, 10]<\/div>\n
Python Tuples vs Lists – When to Use What?<\/h3>\n
Now we know the similarities and differences between tuples and lists.<\/p>\n
You might be thinking about when should we use tuples and when to use lists.<\/p>\n
1.<\/strong> Tuples are used where we don\u2019t<\/strong> need to change<\/strong>, add<\/strong> or remove<\/strong> any element<\/strong>. Using tuples also indicated developers that the value<\/strong> is not meant<\/strong> to change<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
2.<\/strong> If you have to update<\/strong>, add<\/strong> or remove<\/strong> an element<\/strong> in a collection then lists<\/strong> should be used.<\/p>\n
3.<\/strong> Tuples<\/strong> are faster<\/strong> than lists<\/strong> when iterating<\/strong> over the elements<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
So if you are defining a constant<\/strong> set of values<\/strong> that you need to just iterate<\/strong> to then tuples<\/strong> should be the better choice<\/strong> for you.<\/p>\n
4.<\/strong> You can\u2019t create<\/strong> a dictionary<\/strong> with lists<\/strong> as keys<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Take the following example –<\/p>\n
Code:<\/strong><\/p>\n
{[\u201cJohn\u201d, \u201cDoe\u201d] : \u201cLondon\u201d}<\/pre>\n
Will result in error –<\/p>\n
Output:<\/strong><\/p>\n
Traceback (most recent call last):
\n\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>File “<stdin>”, line 1, in <module>
\nTypeError: unhashable type: ‘list’<\/div>\n
You can use tuples<\/strong> for this without<\/strong> any problem<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
{(“John”, “Doe”) : “London”}<\/p>\n
Tuples<\/strong> are also used as equivalent<\/strong> to the dictionary without keys<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
[(\u201cred\u201d, 1), (\u201cgreen\u201d, 2), (\u201cblue\u201d, 3)]<\/p>\n
Summary<\/h3>\n
That was all about the Python tuples vs lists discussion.<\/p>\n
We saw the different syntax<\/strong> of tuples<\/strong> and lists<\/strong> and the mutability<\/strong> of these collections<\/strong> which is the major difference<\/strong> in them. We saw all the methods that are available<\/strong> for lists and tuples. In the end, we discussed how we can use<\/strong> tuples<\/strong> and lists<\/strong> effectively<\/strong> depending on different situations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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