Python: what is the difference between (1,2,3) and [1,2,3], and when should I use each?

Question

In many places, (1,2,3) (a tuple) and [1,2,3] (a list) can be used interchangeably.

When should I use one or the other, and why?

Answer 1

Whenever I need to pass in a collection of items to a function, if I want the function to not change the values passed in - I use tuples.

Else if I want to have the function to alter the values, I use list.

Always if you are using external libraries and need to pass in a list of values to a function and are unsure about the integrity of the data, use a tuple.