Unpacking iterable elements into individual variables while capturing the remainder as a list.

To destructure an iterable when you need the first two elements separately and want to collect the rest for further processing.

When processing sequences where only the first few elements are needed individually and the remainder should be retained as a list, e.g., splitting a list into head, second element, and tail.

Data processing loops, function argument unpacking, parsing structured tuples/lists, algorithmic loops that require head/tail decomposition.

{var1}, {var2}, *{rest} = {iterable}

{var1}, {var2}, *{rest} = {iterable}

{var1}: first variable, {var2}: second variable, {rest}: variable for remainder list, {iterable}: any iterable expression.

• list
• tuple
• range
• string
• zip
• enumerate

• a
• b
• *rest = t
• x
• y
• *zs = seq
• head
• *middle
• tail = seq (different pattern).

Applying *rest to a non‑iterable, omitting the required comma before the starred variable, expecting the starred variable to be a tuple (it is a list), raising ValueError when the iterable is too short.

Similar: a, *rest = t (head‑rest split). Contrasting: a, b, c = t (fixed‑length unpack), *rest, = t (capture all as list).

May be confused with the *args syntax in function calls or with tuple unpacking; ensure the starred variable is preceded by a comma when it is not the first element.

• unpacking_assignment

The starred variable always receives a list, regardless of the original iterable type; if there are fewer items than the preceding variables, a ValueError is raised.

Signals the intent to process the first two elements separately while keeping the remainder available for batch operations.

Think ‘a, b, *rest = data’ as ‘take first two, grab the rest’.

The starred variable collects the remaining items as a list; insufficient items for the leading variables trigger a ValueError.

Learn extended unpacking patterns (e.g., *head, *mid, *tail) and nested unpacking scenarios.