How do the performance metrics of different data structures differ?

The performance of various data structures in Python depends on the operations you perform:

• Lists (list): Fast access by index (O(1)), appending at the end — amortized O(1), inserting or deleting in the middle — O(n).
• Tuples (tuple): Similar to lists but immutable; access by index — O(1).
• Sets (set): Fast search, addition, and removal — on average O(1), but do not maintain order.
• Dictionaries (dict): Fast access by key, addition, and removal — on average O(1).
• Queues (collections.deque): Fast addition and removal from both ends — O(1), access by index — O(n).

The choice of structure depends on the task: for frequent key-based search, it is better to use dict or set; for ordered collections — list or deque. Understanding these characteristics helps in writing efficient code.