What is the `zip` function in Python?

The zip function combines elements from multiple iterables. For example, if you pass two lists, it pairs the elements at the same index from each list into a tuple. The examples provide the best explanation! Let's take a look

Basic Example:

my_list = [1, 2, 3]
your_list = [40, 50, 60]
for i in zip(my_list, your_list):
    print(i)

output

(1, 40)
(2, 50)
(3, 60)

Combining Multiple Lists:

scores1 = [10, 20, 30, 40]
scores2 = [15, 25, 35, 45]
scores3 = [5, 10, 15, 20]
for score1, score2, score3 in zip(scores1, scores2, scores3):
    print(score1 + score2 + score3)

output

Creating a Dictionary from Key and Value Lists:

countries = ['Estonia', 'Germany', 'Greece']
capitals = ['Tallinn', 'Berlin', 'Athens']
country_capital_dict = dict(zip(countries, capitals))
print(country_capital_dict)

output

{'Estonia': 'Tallinn', 'Germany': 'Berlin', 'Greece': 'Athens'}