namedtuple and OrderedDict
Other handy collections.
namedtuple and OrderedDict is a free Python Academy lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 4 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 Python Academy learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The Python Academy course includes 4 lessons in total.
Two more handy collections
The collections module includes namedtuple for readable record-like tuples and OrderedDict for dictionaries with extra ordering methods.
Import them with from collections import namedtuple, OrderedDict.
from collections import namedtuple, OrderedDict
print(namedtuple)
print(OrderedDict)Defining a namedtuple
namedtuple(name, fields) creates a new tuple subclass. You pass the type name and a list of field names. The result is a class you can instantiate.
from collections import namedtuple
Point = namedtuple('Point', ['x', 'y'])
p = Point(3, 4)
print(p)Access by name
The big win: read fields by name instead of cryptic index numbers, which makes code far more readable.
from collections import namedtuple
Point = namedtuple('Point', ['x', 'y'])
p = Point(3, 4)
print(p.x)
print(p.y)Still a tuple
A namedtuple is a real tuple, so indexing, unpacking, and iteration all still work.
from collections import namedtuple
Point = namedtuple('Point', ['x', 'y'])
p = Point(3, 4)
print(p[0])
x, y = p
print(x + y)Immutable but replaceable
Like all tuples, namedtuples are immutable. To get a modified copy, use ._replace(), which returns a new instance.
from collections import namedtuple
Point = namedtuple('Point', ['x', 'y'])
p = Point(3, 4)
q = p._replace(y=10)
print(p)
print(q)Converting to a dict
._asdict() turns a namedtuple into a regular dictionary mapping field names to values.
from collections import namedtuple
Car = namedtuple('Car', ['make', 'year'])
c = Car('Toyota', 2026)
print(c._asdict())Default values
Provide defaults when defining a namedtuple. Defaults apply to the rightmost fields, so you can omit them when creating instances.
from collections import namedtuple
User = namedtuple('User', ['name', 'role'], defaults=['guest'])
print(User('Alice'))
print(User('Bob', 'admin'))Inspecting fields
The ._fields attribute lists the field names, useful for introspection or building generic code.
from collections import namedtuple
Color = namedtuple('Color', ['r', 'g', 'b'])
print(Color._fields)OrderedDict basics
OrderedDict remembers insertion order. Since Python 3.7 regular dicts also keep order, but OrderedDict adds extra ordering methods you cannot get otherwise.
from collections import OrderedDict
od = OrderedDict()
od['first'] = 1
od['second'] = 2
print(od)move_to_end
.move_to_end(key) shifts a key to the end (or the start with last=False). This is unique to OrderedDict and handy for LRU-style logic.
from collections import OrderedDict
od = OrderedDict(a=1, b=2, c=3)
od.move_to_end('a')
print(list(od.keys()))
od.move_to_end('c', last=False)
print(list(od.keys()))Order-sensitive equality
Two OrderedDict objects are equal only if their items are in the same order. Plain dicts ignore order in comparisons.
from collections import OrderedDict
a = OrderedDict([('x', 1), ('y', 2)])
b = OrderedDict([('y', 2), ('x', 1)])
print(a == b)
print(dict(a) == dict(b))Quick Check
How do you create a modified copy of a namedtuple, since it is immutable?
Recap: namedtuple and OrderedDict
Summary:
namedtuple(name, fields)makes readable, immutable records with named access.- Use
._replace()for modified copies and._asdict()to convert to a dict. OrderedDictkeeps insertion order and adds.move_to_end().- OrderedDict equality is order-sensitive, unlike a plain dict.
from collections import namedtuple
Pt = namedtuple('Pt', ['x', 'y'])
print(Pt(1, 2)._asdict())
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Yes — the full text of “namedtuple and OrderedDict” 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 Python Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO. The Python Academy course includes 4 lessons in total.
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Other handy collections. You practise Python 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.
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- Counter
- defaultdict
- deque
- namedtuple and OrderedDict