Python Tutorials

Python Update Tuple

The tuple collection is unchangeable (or immutable).

Once a tuple is created in Python, it cannot be changed, which means you cannot add or remove items, but some hacks enable you to do so.

Change Tuple Items

You can convert a tuple into a list, change list items and then convert the list into a tuple.

Example

colors_tuple = ("Red", "Blue", "Green")

colors_list = list(colors_tuple)
colors_list[2] = "Purple"

colors_tuple = tuple(colors_list)

print(colors_tuple)

('Red', 'Blue', 'Purple')

In the above example, a tuple is converted into a list using the list() constructor, the second index position item is changed, and the list is converted into a tuple using the tuple() constructor.

Add New Items in Tuple

You can convert a tuple into a list, add a new item to the list and then convert the list into a tuple.

Example

colors_tuple = ("Red", "Blue", "Green")

colors_list = list(colors_tuple)
colors_list.append("Purple")

colors_tuple = tuple(colors_list)

print(colors_tuple)

('Red', 'Blue', 'Green', 'Purple')

In the above example, a tuple is converted into a list using the list() constructor, a new item is added to the list using the append() function, and finally, the list is converted into a tuple using the tuple() constructor.

Add Tuple to a Tuple

It is possible to add tuples to the tuple.

If you want to add new items to the tuple, create a new items tuple and add it to the existing tuple.

Example

colors_tuple = ("Red", "Blue", "Green")
new_colors_tuple = ("Purple",)

colors_tuple = colors_tuple + new_colors_tuple

print(colors_tuple)

('Red', 'Blue', 'Green', 'Purple')

In the above example, we created a new single-item tuple and added it to the existing tuple using a plus (+) sign.

Remove Items from Tuple

You can convert a tuple into a list, remove the item from the list and then convert the list into a tuple.

Example

colors_tuple = ("Red", "Blue", "Green")

colors_list = list(colors_tuple)
colors_list.remove("Green")

colors_tuple = tuple(colors_list)

print(colors_tuple)

('Red', 'Blue')

In the above example, a tuple is converted into a list using the list() constructor, an item removed from the list using the remove() function, and finally, the list is converted into a tuple using the tuple() constructor.

Delete a Tuple

The del keyword completely deletes a tuple.

Example

colors_tuple = ("Red", "Blue", "Green")
del colors_tuple
print(colors_tuple)

NameError: name 'colors_tuple' is not defined

We removed the tuple with the del keyword, and when we attempted to run the example, it raised an error (NameError: name 'colors_tuple' is not defined).