How do I create custom namedtuples in Python?

How do I create custom namedtuples in Python?

You can create a custom namedtuple using the collections.namedtuple function. Here's an example:

from collections import namedtuple

# Define a namedtuple called 'Point'
Point = namedtuple('Point', ['x', 'y'])

# Create an instance of Point
p = Point(10, 20)
print(p.x, p.y)  # Output: 10 20

Can I add methods to a namedtuple?

Namedtuples are immutable and don't support methods directly, but you can subclass them to add methods. Here's how:

from collections import namedtuple

class Point(namedtuple('Point', ['x', 'y'])):
    def distance(self):
        return (self.x**2 + self.y**2) ** 0.5

p = Point(3, 4)
print(p.distance())  # Output: 5.0

What are the advantages of using namedtuples?

Namedtuples provide a lightweight way to create classes with named fields, improving code readability and maintainability. They also support tuple-like behavior, making them easy to use in data structures.

Can I use namedtuples with default values?

Yes, you can use default values by subclassing namedtuples. Here's an example:

from collections import namedtuple

class Point(namedtuple('Point', ['x', 'y'])):
    __slots__ = ()  # Prevents the creation of __dict__
    def __new__(cls, x=0, y=0):
        return super(Point, cls).__new__(cls, x, y)

p = Point()  # Uses default values
print(p)  # Output: Point(x=0, y=0)