Access Dictionary Items

Dictionaries give you several ways to pull values out.

Access by key

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

### Ford

get()

python
print(thisdict.get("model"))

### Mustang

get with a default

If the key is missing, return your own fallback:

python
print(thisdict.get("color", "no color set"))

### no color set

keys() returns all keys

python
print(thisdict.keys())

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

values() returns all values

python
print(thisdict.values())

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

items() returns key-value pairs

python
print(thisdict.items())

Each item is a tuple (key, value).

Check if a key exists

python
if "model" in thisdict:
    print("Yes, 'model' is a key")

The in check looks at keys

Remember: in on a dictionary checks keys, not values.

TL;DR

• dict[key] and dict.get(key) read values.
• keys(), values(), items() give views of the data.
• in checks whether a key exists.
• get(key, default) returns a fallback.