Hi Pythonistas!
One of the many elegant features of Python is tuple unpacking — a powerful tool that makes your code more readable and Pythonic.
Let’s understand it using a popular example:
>>> a = 5
>>> b = 10
>>> a, b = b, a
>>> a
10
>>> b
5
>>> How did that work without a temporary variable?
What is Tuple Unpacking?
Tuple unpacking allows you to assign values from a tuple (or any iterable) directly to variables in a single, clean line.
>>> point = (3, 4)
>>> x, y = point
>>> x
3
>>> y
4
>>> Behind the scenes:
Python sees x, y = (3, 4). It "unpacks" the tuple and assigns x = 3, y = 4.
This works not just for tuples, but for lists, strings, and even custom iterables — as long as the number of items matches the number of variables.
The Magic Behind a, b = b, a
Let’s break it down:
Step 1: Right-Hand Side Packing
Python first evaluates the right-hand side before any assignment happens:
tmp = (b, a)
So if a = 5 and b = 10, this becomes:
tmp = (10, 5)
Step 2: Left-Hand Side Unpacking
Then Python unpacks tmp and assigns the values:
a, b = tmp # a = 10, b = 5
This is all done in one atomic step — no intermediate variable required, and no chance of overwriting values prematurely.
✅ Why This Is Awesome
- Clean, readable syntax
- No temporary variable needed
- Works with any iterable
- Pythonic way to write swaps and multiple assignments
Tuple unpacking is one of those little Python features that feels like magic.