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6 Python Tips & Tricks that no One Teaches 🚀🐍

Daniel Diaz on April 26, 2021

Python is currently the most used programming language in the world, and the unique reason is that Python developers are happy building software wi...

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Jason C. McDonald • Apr 27 '21 • Edited

Unpacking gets even better than that...

some_iterable = ["I", "have", "no", "idea", "how", "many", "values", "are", "here", "so", "this", "will", "be", "fun!"]
first, second, *_, last = *some_iterable
print(first, second, last)  # I have fun!

You can include one starred name among the names to unpack into. Python will fill in all the others based on position, and then stuff the rest into the starred name.

In this case, I use _ for the name, because I really only intend to throw those away. _ is a completely valid name in Python, but it's conventionally used as a "throw away" name. If you're curious, you can still see what was parked in there in the above code with...

print(_)  # ['no', 'idea', 'how', 'many', 'values', 'are', 'here', 'so', 'this', 'will', 'be']

P.S. Bit of shameless self-promotion, all of the above is in my forthcoming book "Dead Simple Python" (No Starch Press, 2021). So, it isn't quite that "no one" covers this stuff.

Daniel Diaz • Apr 27 '21

What such an amazing explanation Jason.🤯
That's exactly why I said the unpack operator deserves an isolated article.

BTW, I'd be glad to read your book.

DevLorenzo • Apr 28 '21

If you want, you can add directly here the link 😉

Jason C. McDonald • Apr 29 '21

Heh, I will once I have one. It'll be this fall, tho.

Conner Ow • Apr 26 '21

Sweet, man! I didn't even know these existed!!
The * python iterator is kind of like the ES6 [...arr] in a way.

DevLorenzo • Apr 26 '21

Hey! I think I know you ...

Daniel Diaz • Apr 26 '21

It seems Python and Js are not that different 🤣

Crestiancik • Jun 29 '21 • Edited

Wow, that is a really great post though! I am very surprised by those tricks and tips actually, as I did not even expect that you can do this kind of things. And, that is true, no one actually teaches you those things, which makes them even more amazing! I am learning python right now actually, and I have to tell you that most of the teachers tend to avoid from teaching us different useful tips and tricks, the only place where you could actually find these tricks are the python learning websites, nurtem.com/classes-and-camps/progr... is one of them, and probably the best one, at least the best ones.