Python Tuples
Tuple
A tuple is a collection which is ordered and unchangeable. In Python tuples are written with round brackets.
Example
Create a Tuple:
thistuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
print(thistuple)
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Access Tuple Items
You can access tuple items by referring to the index number, inside square brackets:
Example
Print the second item in the tuple:
thistuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
print(thistuple[1])
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Negative Indexing
Negative indexing means beginning from the end, -1 refers to the last item,
-2 refers to the second last item etc.
Example
Print the last item of the tuple:
thistuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
print(thistuple[-1])
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Range of Indexes
You can specify a range of indexes by specifying where to start and where to end the range.
When specifying a range, the return value will be a new tuple with the specified items.
Example
Return the third, fourth, and fifth item:
thistuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry", "orange", "kiwi", "melon", "mango")
print(thistuple[2:5])
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Note: The search will start at index 2 (included) and end at index 5 (not included).
Remember that the first item has index 0.
Range of Negative Indexes
Specify negative indexes if you want to start the search from the end of the tuple:
Example
This example returns the items from index -4 (included) to index -1 (excluded)
thistuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry", "orange", "kiwi", "melon", "mango")
print(thistuple[-4:-1])
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Change Tuple Values
Once a tuple is created, you cannot change its values. Tuples are unchangeable, or immutable as it also is called.
But there is a workaround. You can convert the tuple into a list, change the list, and convert the list back into a tuple.
Example
Convert the tuple into a list to be able to change it:
x = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
y = list(x)
y[1] = "kiwi"
x =
tuple(y)
print(x)
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Loop Through a Tuple
You can loop through the tuple items by using a for loop.
Example
Iterate through the items and print the values:
thistuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
for x in thistuple:
print(x)
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You will learn more about for loops in our Python For Loops Chapter.
Check if Item Exists
To determine if a specified item is present in a tuple use the in keyword:
Example
Check if "apple" is present in the tuple:
thistuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
if "apple" in thistuple:
print("Yes, 'apple' is in the fruits tuple")
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Tuple Length
To determine how many items a tuple has, use the len() method:
Example
Print the number of items in the tuple:
thistuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
print(len(thistuple))
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Add Items
Once a tuple is created, you cannot add items to it. Tuples are unchangeable.
Example
You cannot add items to a tuple:
thistuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
thistuple[3] = "orange" # This will raise an error
print(thistuple)
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Create Tuple With One Item
To create a tuple with only one item, you have to add a comma after the item, otherwise Python will not recognize it as a tuple.
Example
One item tuple, remember the commma:
thistuple = ("apple",)
print(type(thistuple))
#NOT a tuple
thistuple = ("apple")
print(type(thistuple))
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Remove Items
Note: You cannot remove items in a tuple.
Tuples are unchangeable, so you cannot remove items from it, but you can delete the tuple completely:
Example
The del keyword can delete the tuple
completely:
thistuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
del
thistuple
print(thistuple)
#this will raise an error because the tuple no longer exists
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Join Two Tuples
To join two or more tuples you can use the +
operator:
Example
Join two tuples:
tuple1 = ("a", "b" , "c")
tuple2 = (1, 2, 3)
tuple3 = tuple1 + tuple2
print(tuple3)
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The tuple() Constructor
It is also possible to use the tuple() constructor to make a tuple.
Example
Using the tuple() method to make a tuple:
thistuple = tuple(("apple", "banana", "cherry")) # note the double round-brackets
print(thistuple)
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Tuple Methods
Python has two built-in methods that you can use on tuples.
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| count() | Returns the number of times a specified value occurs in a tuple |
| index() | Searches the tuple for a specified value and returns the position of where it was found |
