The collections module in Python provides alternatives to Python’s general-purpose built-in containers like dict, list, set, and tuple. These alternatives are useful for specific needs and can make your code more readable and efficient. Below is a list of some commonly used functions and classes in the collections module, along with their descriptions and links to detailed guides for each function.
For a complete tutorial, visit Python collections Module Tutorial.
Python collections Module Functions Table
| Function/Class | Description |
|---|---|
| collections.namedtuple() | Factory function for creating tuple subclasses with named fields. |
| collections.deque | A double-ended queue that allows appending and popping from both ends. |
| collections.ChainMap | Groups multiple dictionaries into a single view for easy lookup. |
| collections.Counter | A dictionary subclass for counting hashable objects. |
| collections.OrderedDict | A dictionary subclass that remembers the order entries were added. |
| collections.defaultdict | A dictionary subclass that calls a factory function to supply missing values. |
| collections.UserDict | A wrapper around dictionary objects for easier subclassing. |
| collections.UserList | A wrapper around list objects for easier subclassing. |
| collections.UserString | A wrapper around string objects for easier subclassing. |
For more detailed information on each function, refer to the official Python documentation.