C-like structures in Python

Update: Data Classes

With the introduction of Data Classes in Python 3.7 we get very close.

The following example is similar to the NamedTuple example below, but the resulting object is mutable and it allows for default values.

from dataclasses import dataclass


@dataclass
class Point:
    x: float
    y: float
    z: float = 0.0


p = Point(1.5, 2.5)

print(p)  # Point(x=1.5, y=2.5, z=0.0)

This plays nicely with the new typing module in case you want to use more specific type annotations.

I’ve been waiting desperately for this! If you ask me, Data Classes and the new NamedTuple declaration, combined with the typing module are a godsend!

Improved NamedTuple declaration

Since Python 3.6 it became quite simple and beautiful (IMHO), as long as you can live with immutability.

A new way of declaring NamedTuples was introduced, which allows for type annotations as well:

from typing import NamedTuple


class User(NamedTuple):
    name: str


class MyStruct(NamedTuple):
    foo: str
    bar: int
    baz: list
    qux: User


my_item = MyStruct('foo', 0, ['baz'], User('peter'))

print(my_item) # MyStruct(foo='foo', bar=0, baz=['baz'], qux=User(name='peter'))