C# Academy · Lesson

Value Tuples Basics

Create lightweight tuples for grouped data.

Lesson 1 of 413 steps

Value Tuples Basics is a free C# Academy lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 1 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the C# Academy learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The C# Academy course includes 4 lessons in total.

What Is a Tuple?

A tuple groups several values into one lightweight bundle without defining a class. C# value tuples use parentheses: (int, string).

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        (int, string) pair = (1, "one");
        Console.WriteLine(pair.Item1 + " = " + pair.Item2);
    }
}

Creating a Value Tuple

Write the values in parentheses. The compiler infers the tuple type from them.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var point = (3, 4);
        Console.WriteLine("x=" + point.Item1 + ", y=" + point.Item2);
    }
}

Accessing Elements: Item1, Item2

Unnamed tuple elements are reached through Item1, Item2, Item3, and so on, in order.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var rgb = (255, 128, 0);
        Console.WriteLine("R=" + rgb.Item1 + " G=" + rgb.Item2 + " B=" + rgb.Item3);
    }
}

Tuples Hold Mixed Types

Each element can be a different type. A tuple can mix numbers, strings, booleans, and more.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var user = ("Ada", 36, true);
        Console.WriteLine(user.Item1 + ", age " + user.Item2 + ", active=" + user.Item3);
    }
}

Tuples Are Mutable

Value tuple elements can be reassigned, since each ItemN is a writable field.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var score = (player: "A", points: 0);
        score.points = 10;
        score.points += 5;
        Console.WriteLine(score.player + ": " + score.points);
    }
}

Tuples as Local Bundles

Tuples are great for temporarily grouping values inside a method without creating a dedicated type.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var range = (min: 5, max: 50);
        int span = range.max - range.min;
        Console.WriteLine("Span: " + span);
    }
}

Comparing Tuples

Value tuples support equality: two tuples are equal if all corresponding elements are equal.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var a = (1, 2);
        var b = (1, 2);
        var c = (1, 3);
        Console.WriteLine(a == b);
        Console.WriteLine(a == c);
    }
}

Nesting Tuples

A tuple element can itself be a tuple, letting you build small structured groups.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var line = (start: (0, 0), end: (3, 4));
        Console.WriteLine("From " + line.start.Item1 + "," + line.start.Item2 +
            " to " + line.end.Item1 + "," + line.end.Item2);
    }
}

Tuples in Collections

You can store tuples in a list to keep paired data together without a class.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var scores = new List<(string, int)>
        {
            ("Ann", 90),
            ("Bob", 85)
        };
        foreach (var s in scores)
            Console.WriteLine(s.Item1 + ": " + s.Item2);
    }
}

Value Semantics

A value tuple is a struct, so assigning it copies the values. Changing the copy does not affect the original.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var original = (n: 1);
        var copy = original;
        copy.n = 99;
        Console.WriteLine("original=" + original.n + ", copy=" + copy.n);
    }
}

Putting It Together

Value tuples give you quick, typed groupings ideal for short-lived data inside a method or a simple list.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var result = (count: 3, total: 150);
        double average = (double)result.total / result.count;
        Console.WriteLine("Average: " + average.ToString("0.0"));
    }
}

Quick Check

Test your understanding of value tuples.

Answer it in the interactive lesson

Recap

A value tuple bundles multiple values in parentheses like (int, string) without a class. Unnamed elements are accessed via Item1, Item2. Tuples are mutable structs with value semantics and support equality. They are ideal for quick, local groupings.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var t = (1, "one", true);
        Console.WriteLine(t.Item1 + " " + t.Item2 + " " + t.Item3);
    }
}

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the “Value Tuples Basics” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Value Tuples Basics” is free to read here on the web. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the C# Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO. The C# Academy course includes 4 lessons in total.

What will I learn in “Value Tuples Basics”?

Create lightweight tuples for grouped data. You practise C# Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start C# Academy?

No prior experience is required. C# Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace. This is lesson 1 of 4.

How long does the “Value Tuples Basics” lesson take?

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