#pythondatastructures

When you're learning Python, one of the first concepts you'll encounter is data structures. Among the most used ones are lists, tuples, and dictionaries. These are powerful tools that help organize and manage data effectively. Here’s a beginner-friendly breakdown with examples.

📋 What is a List in Python?

A list is a collection of items that is ordered, mutable, and allows duplicate values. You can add, remove, or change elements.

Example:

python

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"] fruits.append("orange") print(fruits) # Output: ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry', 'orange']

🔒 What is a Tuple in Python?

A tuple is similar to a list but immutable — meaning you can't change its values after creation. It’s used when you want to ensure data remains constant.

Example:

python

coordinates = (10.5, 20.3) print(coordinates[0]) # Output: 10.5

🔑 What is a Dictionary in Python?

A dictionary stores data in key-value pairs, allowing fast lookups and structured storage. It’s unordered (prior to Python 3.7), changeable, and doesn't allow duplicate keys.

Example:

student = {"name": "Alice", "age": 22, "major": "CS"} print(student["name"]) # Output: Alice

🧠 When to Use Each?

Use lists when you have an ordered collection of items that may change.

Use tuples when you want a fixed, ordered set of data.

Use dictionaries when you need to associate values with unique keys for quick lookup.

🆘 Need Help Understanding These Structures?