Python Dictionaries

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}

Dictionary
Dictionaries are used to store data values in key:value pairs.

A dictionary is a collection which is ordered*, changeable and do not allow

duplicates.

As of Python version 3.7, dictionaries are ordered. In Python 3.6 and earlier,
dictionaries are unordered.
Dictionaries are written with curly brackets, and have keys and values:
Example
Create and print a dictionary:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
print(thisdict)

{'brand': 'Ford', 'model': 'Mustang', 'year': 1964}

Dictionary Items
Dictionary items are ordered, changeable, and do not allow duplicates.

Dictionary items are presented in key:value pairs, and can be referred to by

using the key name.

Example
Print the "brand" value of the dictionary:
thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
print(thisdict["brand"])

Ford

Ordered or Unordered?
As of Python version 3.7, dictionaries are ordered. In Python 3.6 and earlier,
dictionaries are unordered.
When we say that dictionaries are ordered, it means that the items have a
defined order, and that order will not change.

Unordered means that the items do not have a defined order, you cannot refer
to an item by using an index.

Changeable
Dictionaries are changeable, meaning that we can change, add or remove items
after the dictionary has been created.

Duplicates Not Allowed

Dictionaries cannot have two items with the same key:

Example
Duplicate values will overwrite existing values:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964,
"year": 2020
}
print(thisdict)

{'brand': 'Ford', 'model': 'Mustang', 'year': 2020}

Dictionary Length
To determine how many items a dictionary has, use the len() function:

Example
Print the number of items in the dictionary:

print(len(thisdict))

Dictionary Items - Data Types

The values in dictionary items can be of any data type:

Example
String, int, boolean, and list data types:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"electric": False,
"year": 1964,
"colors": ["red", "white", "blue"]
}

{'brand': 'Ford', 'electric': False, 'year': 1964, 'colors': ['red',

'white', 'blue']}

type()
From Python's perspective, dictionaries are defined as objects with the data
type 'dict':

<class 'dict'>

Example
Print the data type of a dictionary:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
print(type(thisdict))

<class 'dict'>

The dict() Constructor

It is also possible to use the dict() constructor to make a dictionary.

Example
Using the dict() method to make a dictionary:

thisdict = dict(name = "John", age = 36, country = "Norway")

print(thisdict)

{'name': 'John', 'age': 36, 'country': 'Norway'}

Python Collections (Arrays)

There are four collection data types in the Python programming language:

● List is a collection which is ordered and changeable. Allows duplicate

members.

● Tuple is a collection which is ordered and unchangeable. Allows duplicate

members.
● Set is a collection which is unordered, unchangeable*, and unindexed. No
duplicate members.
● Dictionary is a collection which is ordered** and changeable. No duplicate
members.

*Set items are unchangeable, but you can remove and/or add items
whenever you like.

**As of Python version 3.7, dictionaries are ordered. In Python 3.6 and
earlier, dictionaries are unordered.

When choosing a collection type, it is useful to understand the properties of

that type. Choosing the right type for a particular data set could mean retention of
meaning, and, it could mean an increase in efficiency or security.
Accessing Items
You can access the items of a dictionary by referring to its key name, inside
square brackets:

Example
Get the value of the "model" key:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
x = thisdict["model"]

Mustang
There is also a method called get() that will give you the same result:

Example
Get the value of the "model" key:

x = thisdict.get("model")

Mustang

Get Keys
The keys() method will return a list of all the keys in the dictionary.

Example
Get a list of the keys:

x = thisdict.keys()

dict_keys(['brand', 'model', 'year'])

The list of the keys is a view of the dictionary, meaning that any changes done
to the dictionary will be reflected in the keys list.
Example
Add a new item to the original dictionary, and see that the keys list gets
updated as well:

car = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
x = car.keys()
print(x) #before the change
car["color"] = "white"
print(x) #after the change

dict_keys(['brand', 'model', 'year'])

dict_keys(['brand', 'model', 'year', 'color'])

Get Values
The values() method will return a list of all the values in the dictionary.

Example
Get a list of the values:

x = thisdict.values()

dict_values(['Ford', 'Mustang', 1964])

The list of the values is a view of the dictionary, meaning that any changes done
to the dictionary will be reflected in the values list.

Example
Make a change in the original dictionary, and see that the values list gets
updated as well:

car = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
x = car.values()
print(x) #before the change
car["year"] = 2020
print(x) #after the change

dict_values(['Ford', 'Mustang', 1964])

dict_values(['Ford', 'Mustang', 2020])

Example
Add a new item to the original dictionary, and see that the values list gets
updated as well:

car = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
x = car.values()
print(x) #before the change
car["color"] = "red"
print(x) #after the change

dict_values(['Ford', 'Mustang', 1964])

dict_values(['Ford', 'Mustang', 1964, 'red'])

Get Items
The items() method will return each item in a dictionary, as tuples in a list.

Example
Get a list of the key:value pairs

x = thisdict.items()

dict_items([('brand', 'Ford'), ('model', 'Mustang'), ('year', 1964)])

The returned list is a view of the items of the dictionary, meaning that any
changes done to the dictionary will be reflected in the items list.

Ex:Make a change in the original dictionary, and see that the items list gets
updated as well:

car = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
x = car.items()
print(x) #before the change
car["year"] = 2020
print(x) #after the change

dict_items([('brand', 'Ford'), ('model', 'Mustang'), ('year', 1964)])

dict_items([('brand', 'Ford'), ('model', 'Mustang'), ('year', 2020)])

Example
Add a new item to the original dictionary, and see that the items list gets
updated as well:

car = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
x = car.items()
print(x) #before the change
car["color"] = "red"
print(x) #after the change

dict_items([('brand', 'Ford'), ('model', 'Mustang'), ('year', 1964)])

dict_items([('brand', 'Ford'), ('model', 'Mustang'), ('year', 1964),
('color', 'red')])

Check if Key Exists

To determine if a specified key is present in a dictionary use the in keyword:

Example
Check if "model" is present in the dictionary:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
if "model" in thisdict:
print("Yes, 'model' is one of the keys in the thisdict dictionary")

Yes, 'model' is one of the keys in the thisdict dictionary

Python - Change Dictionary
Items
Change Values
You can change the value of a specific item by referring to its key name:

Example
Change the "year" to 2018:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
thisdict["year"] = 2018

{'brand': 'Ford', 'model': 'Mustang', 'year': 2018}

Update Dictionary
The update() method will update the dictionary with the items from the given
argument.

The argument must be a dictionary, or an iterable object with key:value pairs.

Example
Update the "year" of the car by using the update() method:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
thisdict.update({"year": 2020})

{'brand': 'Ford', 'model': 'Mustang', 'year': 2020}

Python - Add Dictionary Items
Adding Items
Adding an item to the dictionary is done by using a new index key and assigning
a value to it:

Example
thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
thisdict["color"] = "red"
print(thisdict)

{'brand': 'Ford', 'model': 'Mustang', 'year': 1964, 'color': 'red'}

Update Dictionary
The update() method will update the dictionary with the items from a given
argument. If the item does not exist, the item will be added.

The argument must be a dictionary, or an iterable object with key:value pairs.

Example
Add a color item to the dictionary by using the update() method:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
thisdict.update({"color": "red"})

{'brand': 'Ford', 'model': 'Mustang', 'year': 1964, 'color': 'red'}

Python - Remove Dictionary
Items
Removing Items
There are several methods to remove items from a dictionary:

Example
The pop() method removes the item with the specified key name:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
thisdict.pop("model")
print(thisdict)

{'brand': 'Ford', 'year': 1964}

Example
The popitem() method removes the last inserted item (in versions before 3.7, a
random item is removed instead):

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
thisdict.popitem()
print(thisdict)

{'brand': 'Ford', 'model': 'Mustang'}

Example
The del keyword removes the item with the specified key name:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
 "year": 1964
}
del thisdict["model"]
print(thisdict)

{'brand': 'Ford', 'year': 1964}

Example
The del keyword can also delete the dictionary completely:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
del thisdict
print(thisdict) #this will cause an error because "thisdict" no longer
exists.

Example
The clear() method empties the dictionary:
thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
thisdict.clear()
print(thisdict)

{}

Python - Loop Dictionaries

Loop Through a Dictionary
You can loop through a dictionary by using a for loop.

When looping through a dictionary, the return value are the keys of the
dictionary, but there are methods to return the values as well.
Example
Print all key names in the dictionary, one by one:

for x in thisdict:
print(x)

brand
model
year

Example
Print all values in the dictionary, one by one:

for x in thisdict:
print(thisdict[x])

Ford
Mustang
1964

Example
You can also use the values() method to return values of a dictionary:

for x in thisdict.values():
print(x)

Ford
Mustang
1964

Example
You can use the keys() method to return the keys of a dictionary:

for x in thisdict.keys():
print(x)

brand
model
year

Example
Loop through both keys and values, by using the items() method:
for x, y in thisdict.items():
print(x, y)

brand Ford
model Mustang
year 1964

Copy a Dictionary
You cannot copy a dictionary simply by typing dict2 = dict1, because: dict2
will only be a reference to dict1, and changes made in dict1 will automatically
also be made in dict2.

There are ways to make a copy, one way is to use the built-in Dictionary method
copy().

Example
Make a copy of a dictionary with the copy() method:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
mydict = thisdict.copy()
print(mydict)

{'brand': 'Ford', 'model': 'Mustang', 'year': 1964}

Another way to make a copy is to use the built-in function dict().

Example
Make a copy of a dictionary with the dict() function:

thisdict = {
"brand": "Ford",
"model": "Mustang",
"year": 1964
}
mydict = dict(thisdict)
print(mydict)

{'brand': 'Ford', 'model': 'Mustang', 'year': 1964}

Nested Dictionaries
A dictionary can contain dictionaries, this is called nested dictionaries.
Example
Create a dictionary that contain three dictionaries:

myfamily = {
"child1" : {
"name" : "Emil",
"year" : 2004
},
"child2" : {
"name" : "Tobias",
"year" : 2007
},
"child3" : {
"name" : "Linus",
"year" : 2011
}
}

{'child1': {'name': 'Emil', 'year': 2004}, 'child2': {'name': 'Tobias',

'year': 2007}, 'child3': {'name': 'Linus', 'year': 2011}}
Or, if you want to add three dictionaries into a new dictionary:
Example
Create three dictionaries, then create one dictionary that will contain the other
three dictionaries:

child1 = {
"name" : "Emil",
"year" : 2004
}
child2 = {
"name" : "Tobias",
"year" : 2007
}
child3 = {
"name" : "Linus",
"year" : 2011
}
myfamily = {
"child1" : child1,
"child2" : child2,
 "child3" : child3
}

{'child1': {'name': 'Emil', 'year': 2004}, 'child2': {'name': 'Tobias',

'year': 2007}, 'child3': {'name': 'Linus', 'year': 2011}}

Access Items in Nested Dictionaries

To access items from a nested dictionary, you use the name of the dictionaries,
starting with the outer dictionary:

Example
Print the name of child 2:

print(myfamily["child2"]["name"])

Tobias

Loop Through Nested Dictionaries

You can loop through a dictionary by using the items() method like this:

Example
Loop through the keys and values of all nested dictionaries:

for x, obj in myfamily.items():

print(x)
for y in obj:
print(y + ':', obj[y])

child1
name: Emil
year: 2004
child2
name: Tobias
year: 2007
child3
name: Linus
year: 2011
Dictionary Methods
Python has a set of built-in methods that you can use on dictionaries.

Meth Description
od

clear() Removes all the elements from the dictionary

copy() Returns a copy of the dictionary

fromk Returns a dictionary with the specified keys and value

eys()

get() Returns the value of the specified key

items( Returns a list containing a tuple for each key value pair
)

keys() Returns a list containing the dictionary's keys

pop() Removes the element with the specified key

popite Removes the last inserted key-value pair

m()

setdef Returns the value of the specified key. If the key does not exist:
ault() insert the key, with the specified value

updat Updates the dictionary with the specified key-value pairs

e()

values Returns a list of all the values in the dictionary

()