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Lesson 15 — Unpacking tricks
Star unpacking
Normal unpacking needs exactly one variable per item. Put a star in front of one name and it collects all the leftover items into a list. The star can sit at the start, the middle or the end.
*rest, last = [10, 20, 30]
print(last) # 30
print(rest) # [10, 20]
Why it matters: it splits sequences cleanly — the first line of a file, the last part of a path — without fiddly indexing.
Want it another way?
Task
Unpack the first item into head and everything else into rest, then print both.
Run your code — when the output matches the task, you will see a green check. Then mark the lesson complete.
Test your knowledge
Test your knowledgeA quick 3-question quiz on this lesson — instant feedback.