The Python zip() Method

John on November 04, 2020

The Python zip() method is used to combine iterables into an object of tuples. What makes this method powerful is that any type of iterables can be combined together and can be unzipped further in the program.

In this tutorial, we will learn how to use the Python zip() method using examples or zipping iterables and unzipping them.

The Python zip() Syntax

Python zip() method take zero or multiple iterables (list, tuple, dictionary) in a comma-separated list.

zip(iterable_1, iterable_2)

Creating an Empty Zip Object

The most basic way to use zip() is to create an empty zip object. This is done by calling zip() with no arguments.

result = zip()

print(type(result))

<class 'zip'>

Zipping a Single Iterable

First, let's try zipping a single iterable and see what the result is. We will have to convert the zip object into a list before it can be printed.

items = ['a', 'b', 'c']
result = zip(items)
result = list(result)
print(result)

[('a',), ('b',), ('c',)]

Zipping Iterables Together

Now let's try zipping multiple iterables together and see what output we get.

items = ['a', 'b', 'c']
words = ('one', 'two', 'three')
nums = [1, 2, 3]

result = zip(items, words, nums)
result = list(result)
print(result)

[('a', 'one', 1), ('b', 'two', 2), ('c', 'three', 3)]

In the example above we can see that zip() combines elements from the same index and puts them in a tuple in the order that each iterable was supplied to zip().

Zipping Iterables with Different Lengths

If iterables with different lengths are supplied, zip() will only create tuples up to the length of the shortest iterable. Let's try this out with an example.

items = ['a', 'b', 'c']
words = ('one', 'two')
nums = [1, 2, 3]

result = zip(items, words, nums)
result = list(result)
print(result)

[('a', 'one', 1), ('b', 'two', 2)]

Unzipping Zipped Values

To unzip values supply a comma-separated list of variables to assign the unzipped tuples to and inside zip() supply an asterisk before the zip object.

items = ['a', 'b', 'c']
words = ('one', 'two', 'three')
nums = [1, 2, 3]

result = zip(items, words, nums)
result = list(result)
print(result)

a,b,c = zip(*result)

print(a)
print(b)
print(c)

[('a', 'one', 1), ('b', 'two', 2), ('c', 'three', 3)]
('a', 'b', 'c')
('one', 'two', 'three')
(1, 2, 3)

Conclusion

You now know how to use the zip() method in Python to join multiple iterables into a zip object of tuples and then unzip them.