What is pass by reference in Python?

Can you explain what pass by reference means in Python?

In Python, variables are passed by reference, meaning they refer to the same object in memory.

Does that mean if I change the object in a function, it changes outside the function too?

Yes, exactly! If you modify a mutable object inside a function, the changes will reflect outside the function.

What about immutable objects like strings or tuples?

For immutable objects, any modification creates a new object, so the original remains unchanged.

Can you give me an example of this?

Sure! If you pass a list to a function and append an item, the original list will be updated. But if you try to change a string, it won't affect the original string.