this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2025
12 points (92.9% liked)

Python

7369 readers
3 users here now

Welcome to the Python community on the programming.dev Lemmy instance!

๐Ÿ“… Events

PastNovember 2023

October 2023

July 2023

August 2023

September 2023

๐Ÿ Python project:
๐Ÿ’“ Python Community:
โœจ Python Ecosystem:
๐ŸŒŒ Fediverse
Communities
Projects
Feeds

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
erlingur@programming.dev
jnovinger@programming.dev
norambna@programming.dev
12
A minor headache for a beginner coder (lemmy.dbzer0.com)
submitted 1 week ago by moosetwin@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/python@programming.dev
14 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

if var1 equals 1, and you run var2 = var1, that sets var2 to 1.

if list1 equals [1, 2, 3], and you run list2 = list1, that sets list2 to list1

so if you then run var1 = 2, var2 will still be 1

but if you run list1 = [3, 2, 1], list2 will give [3, 2, 1]

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] marcos@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

As I said, it's because you can't change the value of a primitive value. (That is, unless you abuse the C interface.)

Because Python doesn't protect classes, you just can't do the same with the types you create. But that's what is special, not the way if handles variables.

And this is different from languages like Java/C#, PHP/Perl, etc. Most imperative languages have primitive atomic values that go directly into your variables. But Python has only references (except for some complicated optimizations). Anyway, it is weird, and it's one of the reasons people should learn C or Rust eventually.