Rtuples

A rtuple is a data structure commonly found in functional programming languages, particularly those influenced by Lisp or Scheme. It represents a sequence of elements that are immutable. This means once a rtuple is created, its contents cannot be changed. If modifications are needed, a new rtuple must be constructed with the desired changes. This immutability is a key characteristic that distinguishes rtuples from mutable data structures like lists in imperative programming.

The term "rtuple" is often used interchangeably with "tuple" in many contexts, though "rtuple" might specifically emphasize the read-only or immutable nature. Rtuples can contain elements of different data types, similar to how lists or arrays can. They are typically used to group related data together in a fixed structure. For example, a rtuple could represent a point in a 2D space with its x and y coordinates.

The advantages of using rtuples stem from their immutability. This property makes them thread-safe, as multiple threads can access the same rtuple without the risk of concurrent modification issues. It also simplifies reasoning about program state, as the value of a rtuple will never change unexpectedly. Furthermore, immutability can enable certain optimizations within compilers and runtime environments. Accessing elements within a rtuple is usually done by index, much like accessing elements in an array.