Python Tuple: a quick reference

A tuple is similar to the list: ordered, allows repetition of items.

There is just one difference: a tuple is immutable.

Initialization

Empty Tuple

people = ()

Tuple with initial values

people = ('Bob', 'Mary')

Adding in a Tuple

Tuples are immutable, if you try to add an item, you will see an error.

people = ('Bob', 'Mary')
people[2] = 'Sarah'

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
TypeError: 'tuple' object does not support item assignment

Updating in a Tuple

Update an item will also return an error.

But there is a trick, you can convert into a list, change the item and then convert it back to a tuple.

people = ('Bob', 'Mary')
people_list = list(people)
people_list[1] = 'Sarah'
people = tuple(people_list)
print(people)

('Bob', 'Sarah')

Deleting in a Tuple

For the same reason you can’t add an item, you also can’t delete an item, since they are immutable.

Retrieving in a Tuple

Use the index to reference the item.

people = ('Bob', 'Mary')
print(people[1])

Mary

Iterating over Tuples

people = ('Bob', 'Mary')
for person in people:
  print(person)

Bob
Mary

Check if a given item already exists in a Tuple

people = ('Bob', 'Mary')

if 'Bob' in people:
  print('Bob exists!')
else:
  print('There is no Bob!')