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Dictionaries in Python are mutable, unordered collections of key-value pairs, where keys must be unique and immutable. They allow for fast data access and can represent structured data like JSON. Common operations include creating, accessing, modifying, and deleting items, as well as using nested dictionaries and various built-in methods.

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5 views10 pages

Slide 1

Dictionaries in Python are mutable, unordered collections of key-value pairs, where keys must be unique and immutable. They allow for fast data access and can represent structured data like JSON. Common operations include creating, accessing, modifying, and deleting items, as well as using nested dictionaries and various built-in methods.

Uploaded by

jonathanelimu26
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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INTRODUCTION TO DICTIONARIES IN PYTHON

Title: What are Dictionaries in Python?


Definition:
A dictionary in Python is a built-in data structure that stores
data as key-value pairs. It is mutable, unordered (as of Python
3.7+ insertion order is preserved), and highly efficient for
lookups.
Key Characteristics:
- Keys must be unique and immutable (e.g., strings, numbers,
tuples).
- Values can be of any type (e.g., integers, strings, lists, even
other dictionaries).
- Dictionaries are dynamic, meaning they can grow or shrink as
needed.
Why Use Dictionaries?
- Fast access to values using keys.
- Useful for representing structured data like JSON,
configuration settings, etc.

Illustration:
PLAINTEXT
+-------------------+
| Dictionary |
| |
| Key Value |
| "name" -> "Alice" |
| "age" -> 25 |
| "city" -> "NYC" |
+-------------------+
Slide 2: Creating and Accessing Dictionaries
Title: How to Create and Access Dictionaries
Creating a Dictionary:
Dictionaries can be created using curly braces `{}` or the
`dict()` constructor.

python
# Using curly braces
my_dict = {"name": "Alice", "age": 25, "city": "NYC"}

Using dict() constructor


my_dict = dict(name="Alice", age=25, city="NYC")
Accessing Values:
Use the key inside square brackets `[]` or the `.get()` method.
python
print(my_dict["name"]) # Output: Alice
print(my_dict.get("age")) # Output: 25
Handling Missing Keys:
If a key doesn’t exist, accessing it with `[]` raises a `KeyError`.
The `.get()` method avoids this by returning `None` or a default
value.
python
print(my_dict.get("country", "USA")) # Output: USA
Illustration:
PLAINTEXT
my_dict = {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}
| | |
Key Value Key

Slide 3: Modifying and Updating Dictionaries


Title: Adding, Updating, and Deleting Items
Adding or Updating Items:
Assign a value to a new or existing key.
python
my_dict = {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}
my_dict["city"] = "NYC" # Add a new key-value pair
my_dict["age"] = 26 # Update an existing key
Deleting Items:
Use `del`, `.pop()`, or `.clear()`.
python
del my_dict["city"] # Deletes the "city" key
age = my_dict.pop("age") # Removes and returns the value
of "age"
my_dict.clear() # Clears all items in the dictionary
Iterating Over a Dictionary:
You can loop through keys, values, or key-value pairs.
python
for key in my_dict:
print(key) # Prints keys
for value in my_dict.values():
print(value) # Prints values
for key, value in my_dict.items():
print(f"{key}: {value}") # Prints key-value pairs
Illustration:
plaintext
Before: {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}
After Adding: {"name": "Alice", "age": 25, "city": "NYC"}
After Deleting: {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}
SLIDE 4: NESTED DICTIONARIES
Title: Working with Nested Dictionaries
What Are Nested Dictionaries?
A nested dictionary is a dictionary that contains another
dictionary as its value.

python
students = {
"Alice": {"age": 25, "grade": "A"},
"Bob": {"age": 22, "grade": "B"},
}

Accessing Nested Values:


Use multiple keys to access nested values.

python
print(students["Alice"]["grade"]) # Output: A
Modifying Nested Values:
Update values within nested dictionaries.
python
students["Alice"]["grade"] = "A+"
Use Case:
Nested dictionaries are ideal for hierarchical data structures,
such as user profiles, organizational charts, etc.

Illustration:
plaintext
students = {
"Alice": {"age": 25, "grade": "A"},
"Bob": {"age": 22, "grade": "B"},
}
| | |
Key Key Value
SLIDE 5: DICTIONARY METHODS
Title: Common Dictionary Methods
View Methods:
- `.keys()`: Returns a view object of all keys.
- `.values()`: Returns a view object of all values.
- `.items()`: Returns a view object of key-value pairs.
python
my_dict = {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}
print(my_dict.keys()) # Output: dict_keys(['name', 'age'])
print(my_dict.values()) # Output: dict_values(['Alice', 25])
print(my_dict.items()) # Output: dict_items([('name', 'Alice'),
('age', 25)])
Other Useful Methods:
- `.update()`: Adds key-value pairs from another dictionary.
- `.setdefault()`: Returns the value of a key, or sets a default if
the key doesn’t exist.
- `.copy()`: Creates a shallow copy of the dictionary.
python
my_dict.update({"city": "NYC"})
print(my_dict.setdefault("country", "USA")) # Output: USA
Illustration:
plaintext
my_dict = {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}
my_dict.update({"city": "NYC"})
Result: {"name": "Alice", "age": 25, "city": "NYC"}
### **Slide 6: Applications of Dictionaries**
---

**Title:** Real-World Applications of Dictionaries

- **Data Representation:**
Dictionaries are widely used to represent JSON-like data
structures, making them ideal for APIs and web development.

- **Counting Frequencies:**
Use dictionaries to count occurrences of elements in a list.

```python
words = ["apple", "banana", "apple", "orange"]
word_count = {}
for word in words:
word_count[word] = word_count.get(word, 0) + 1
print(word_count) # Output: {'apple': 2, 'banana': 1, 'orange':
1}
```

- **Configuration Settings:**
Store application settings or configurations in dictionaries.

```python
config = {"theme": "dark", "language": "en", "notifications":
True}
```

- **Graphs and Maps:**


Represent graphs or adjacency lists using dictionaries.

```python
graph = {"A": ["B", "C"], "B": ["A", "D"], "C": ["A"]}
```

**Illustration:**
```plaintext
Real-world Use Cases:
- JSON Data: {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}
- Word Count: {"apple": 2, "banana": 1}
- Graph: {"A": ["B", "C"]}
```
---

### **Final Notes:**


Dictionaries are one of the most versatile and powerful data
structures in Python. Mastering their usage will significantly
enhance your programming skills!

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