Python Lists vs Tuples vs Sets — When to Use Each
In Python, we often reach for lists, tuples, and sets to store data. They look similar, but the choice affects memory, lookup speed, immutability, and thread safety. This post focuses on how working developers should decide between them. Lists — ordered and mutable A list maintains order and can be updated at any time. emails = ["john@x.com", "jane@x.com"] emails.append("max@x.com") for email in emails: print(email) Use lists when: You need to preserve order. You plan to modify data (append, remove, sort). You do not need the object to be a dictionary key or a set element. Engineering note: lists are fast for appends but not thread-safe for concurrent writes. ...