multiple return from function in python

Question

def example():
    var1 = {'a':1,'b':2}
    var2 = {'c':3,'d':4}

    return var1,var2

[v1, v2] = example()

I want to assign var1 to v1, and var2 to v2. Is it ok for me to unpacked tuple var1,var2 into list v1,v2. So far, I haven't found anyone unpack the multiple return value into list

Possible duplicate of How do you return multiple values in Python? — Benyamin Jafari
– Benyamin Jafari, Commented Sep 25, 2018 at 13:29

Aran-Fey · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-25 13:32:57Z

7

Semantically, there is no difference between unpacking into a list or a tuple. All of these are equivalent:

v1, v2 = example()
(v1, v2) = example()
[v1, v2] = example()

(See also the assignment statement grammar.)

However, unpacking into a list is a relatively unknown feature, so it might be confusing for people who read your code. It's also needlessly verbose. That's why I would strongly recommend using the well-known unpacking syntax without any parentheses or brackets:

v1, v2 = example()

edited Sep 25, 2018 at 13:32

answered Sep 25, 2018 at 13:28

Aran-Fey

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1 Comment

Chris_Rands Over a year ago

yep bytcode is identical for all 3, e.g. dis.dis('[v1, v2] = example()')

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