Tuples and lists in Python are both sequence types, but they differ primarily in two ways: mutability and usage. Tuples are immutable, meaning once defined, their elements cannot be changed, added or removed. Lists, on the other hand, are mutable; you can modify them after creation by adding, removing, or changing elements.
This immutability of tuples makes them hashable and hence can be used as keys in dictionaries, unlike lists. It also ensures that tuples are safer to use as data is protected from accidental changes.
In terms of usage, tuples are typically employed for heterogeneous (different) data types while lists are used for homogeneous (similar) data types. For instance, a tuple might contain a name, age, and location, whereas a list might contain multiple ages or names.
Lastly, due to their immutability, tuples have a smaller memory footprint compared to lists, making them more efficient in scenarios where the sequence size is large and no modifications are needed.
