Python tuples

Python tuple is an immutable sequence and can be constructed using tuple() built-in, parentheses (), and comma-separated items without parentheses

Properties of tuples

• Tuples can store heterogeneous (e.g., different data types) and homogenous data
• tuple is an immutable, i.e., we can not change the values and order of values of tuple once initialized
• As tuple is a sequence, it supports all sequence operations such as in, not in, max, count, etc.
• Duplicate values allowed in the tuple

Tuples initialization

• Tuples contain the comma-separated elements generally enclosed in parentheses.

x = ('python', 2, 3, 4, 5, 'julia')  # with parentheses
x = 'python', 2, 3, 4, 5, 'julia'  # without parentheses

# nested tuple
x = 'python', (2, 3, 4, 5)
x
('python', (2, 3, 4, 5))

Single element tuple

• A comma must follow a single element tuple

x = ('julia',)  #

Access tuple elements

• Tuples are heterogeneous sequence of elements and can be accessed by unpacking (see Tuple assignment) or by indexing

x = (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 'a')  
x[2]
# output
3

# slice tuple
x[2:5]
(3, 4, 5)

Tuple assignment and unpacking

• Tuples assignment feature allow tuple to unpack elements and assign to the variables on left side

x, y, z = ('python', 'julia', 'R')  
x
'python'

y
'julia'

Tuples are immutable

• Unlike the list, tuples are immutable. It means it is not possible to change the values of tuples once it is created.

# lets try to add 'd' value in tuple
x[2] = 'd' 
TypeError: 'tuple' object does not support item assignment

Merge tuples

• Merge/join multiple tuples

x = ('python', 'julia', 'R')  
y = (1, 2, 3)
# merge tuples
x+y
('python', 'julia', 'R', 1, 2, 3)

Insert elements in tuples

• Even though tuples are immutable, you can insert an element in a tuple by creating a new tuple

x = ('python', 'julia', 'R')  
# insert element in a tuple
y = x[:1]+('go',)+x[1:]
y
('python', 'go', 'julia', 'R')

Interconversion of tuple and list

# tuple to list
x = ('python', 'julia', 'R')  
list(x)
['python', 'julia', 'R']

# list to tuple
x = ['python', 'julia', 'R']
tuple(x)
('python', 'julia', 'R')

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• Python for Data Analysis: Pandas & NumPy
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References

• https://docs.python.org/3.7/tutorial/datastructures.html#tuples-and-sequences

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