NamedtuplePoint

NamedtuplePoint is a lightweight data structure pattern that uses Python's namedtuple to represent a two‑dimensional point with x and y coordinates. It provides an immutable, tuple‑like container with named fields, combining the efficiency of a tuple with the clarity of named attributes.

Creation and basic usage typically involve creating a factory class from namedtuple and then instantiating point objects. For example, a factory namedtuplePoint can be created with the fields x and y, and then used to instantiate points such as p = namedtuplePoint(3, 4). Access to coordinates is done via p.x and p.y, while standard tuple operations such as iteration and indexing remain supported.

Key features include immutability, which helps ensure point coordinates are not accidentally changed after creation. The class also provides helpful utilities such as _asdict to convert a point to a dictionary, _fields to list the field names, and _replace to create a new point with one or more fields altered. These characteristics make namedtuplePoint well suited for simple data modeling, function return values, and lightweight coordinate representations.

Limitations include its fixed structure, which makes it less flexible than dataclasses when you need optional fields or complex validation. If additional behavior is required, users can subclass the generated namedtuple class or add standalone helper functions to operate on point instances.

Related concepts include the Python namedtuple factory itself and alternative approaches such as dataclasses for more complex point representations. NamedtuplePoint remains a common pattern when a compact, readable, and immutable point type is desirable.