TypeError: list indices must be integers or slices, not tuple

In Python, an error named “TypeError” occurs when an inappropriate data type is used while performing any operation. A “list indices must be integers or slices, not tuple” type error occurs while dealing with the lists in Python. To fix this error, various solutions are provided by Python.

This article will discuss various reasons and solutions for “TypeError: list indices must be integers or slices, not tuples”, with numerous examples. The following contents are discussed in this blog post:

So let’s get started!

How to Fix the “TypeError: list indices must be integers or slices, not tuple” Error?

This section will enlist all the reasons and their solutions to fix the error “TypeError: list indices must be integers or slices, not tuple”. Let’s dig into them one by one:

Reason 1: Not Separating Items of List

The “list indices must be integers or slices, not tuple” error occurs when the input list items/element is not separated by a comma (,). An example of this error is shown in the below snippet:

The output shows that skipping the comma between the list items causes a TypeError.

Solution: Add the Comma Between the Items of the List

Adding a comma between the list elements will resolve this error. Let’s have a look at the solution to the TypeError in the below snippet:

Code:

my_list = [['Alex', 'Blake'],['cyndy', 'David']]
print(my_list)

In the above code, the list of strings is initialized in a variable named “my_list”.

The output shows that adding a comma between the list elements fixed the stated error.

Reason 2: Incorrect Accessing of List

The other main reason for the occurrence of this error can be incorrect accessing of list items. We can not assign a tuple value or float value inside the square bracket of the list while accessing the items. In the below snippet, the list value will be accessed using the value separated by a comma:

The above snippet shows that accessing a list incorrectly causes a type error.

Solution: Use Integer or Slices

To fix the stated error, the integer value and slices of the number will be used inside the square bracket. The below snip shows the correct way of accessing the items on the list without any error:

Code:

List_Value = ['Alex', 'Blake', 'cyndy', 'David']

Output = List_Value[2:4]
print(Output)

Output1 = List_Value[2]
print(Output1)

In the above code, the list is initialized, and the string slicing method is used to get the element of the list.

The above output shows the value of the element accessed using integer and slicing of number.

Reason 3: Using List as a Dictionary

The “TypeError” also occurs when we use the list as a dictionary in a program. Let’s see an example below to understand this error’s working:

The above output shows a TypeError generated when the key value “Name” is accessed from the list of dictionaries.

Solution: Use for Loop

The error can be removed using a for loop for iteration over the list. Unlike a dictionary, the list element can not be accessed using a string index. Here is how we can solve the error using for loop:

Code:

dict_value = [{"Name": "Alex"},{"Name": "Lily"}]
for i in dict_value:
    if(i["Name"] == "Lily"):
        print("True")

In the above code, the “for” loop is used to iterate over the list of dictionaries. After getting the dictionary, the “if” statement executes the condition, and when the condition becomes True, the statement written inside the “if” block will be executed.

Output:

The above output shows that the “if” statement condition is satisfied.

That’s it from this guide!

Conclusion

The “TypeError: list indices must be integers or slices, not tuple” error occurs because of various reasons, such as not separating the list by comma, accessing a list incorrectly, or using the list as a dictionary. To rectify this error, a comma should be placed between the list elements, the list elements must be accessed using integer and slice values inside the square bracket. A for loop can also be used to iterate the list, and a string index can access the list without causing a TypeError. This blog guide covered various reasons and solutions for “TypeError: list indices must be integers or slices, not tuple” with appropriate examples.