Python Dictionary - GeeksforGeeks

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Gain a solid understanding of what dictionaries are and how they differ from other data structures. This video unravel the creation, usage and applications of dictionary.<\/p>\",\"source\":\"https:\/\/cdnvideos.geeksforgeeks.org\/hls\/8750c564b24335e12646427dd2de2fb6gfg-Dictionary in Python.m3u8\",\"category\":[{\"term_id__id\":10,\"term_id__term_name\":\"Python\",\"term_id__term_type\":1,\"term_id__slug\":\"python\"},{\"term_id__id\":166,\"term_id__term_name\":\"courses populated\",\"term_id__term_type\":2,\"term_id__slug\":\"courses-populated\"}],\"meta\":{\"thumbnail\":\"https:\/\/media.geeksforgeeks.org\/courses\/DictionaryinPython\/DictionaryinPython20240926153624-small.png\",\"largeThumbnail\":\"https:\/\/media.geeksforgeeks.org\/courses\/DictionaryinPython\/DictionaryinPython20240926153624.jpg\",\"likes\":1,\"views\":367750,\"isFeatured\":0,\"isPremium\":0,\"isPublic\":1,\"format\":0,\"revision\":{}},\"time\":\"17\/08\/2020\",\"subtitle\":\"https:\/\/cdnvideos.geeksforgeeks.org\/subtitles\/8750c564b24335e12646427dd2de2fb6gfg-Dictionary in Python.vtt\",\"duration\":702,\"course_link\":\"https:\/\/www.geeksforgeeks.org\/courses\/Python-Foundation?utm_source=geeksforgeeks&utm_medium=article_tab_visit_course&utm_campaign=gfg_pythonsp\",\"video_schema\":{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"VideoObject\",\"name\":\"Dictionary in Python\",\"description\":\"Gain a solid understanding of what dictionaries are and how they differ from other data structures. This video unravel the creation, usage and applications of dictionary.\",\"thumbnailUrl\":[\"https:\/\/media.geeksforgeeks.org\/courses\/DictionaryinPython\/DictionaryinPython20240926153624.jpg\",\"https:\/\/media.geeksforgeeks.org\/courses\/DictionaryinPython\/DictionaryinPython20240926153624-seo.png\",\"https:\/\/media.geeksforgeeks.org\/courses\/DictionaryinPython\/DictionaryinPython20240926153624-small.png\"],\"uploadDate\":\"2020-08-17T22:05:37Z\",\"duration\":\"PT0H11M42S\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.geeksforgeeks.org\/videos\/dictionary-in-python-i1zo2s\/\"}}]"); Python Dictionary - GeeksforGeeks

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Python Dictionary

Last Updated : 20 Sep, 2025

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Python dictionary is a data structure that stores the value in key: value pairs. Values in a dictionary can be of any data type and can be duplicated, whereas keys can't be repeated and must be immutable.
Keys are case sensitive which means same name but different cases of Key will be treated distinctly.
Keys must be immutable which means keys can be strings, numbers or tuples but not lists.
Duplicate keys are not allowed and any duplicate key will overwrite the previous value.
Internally uses hashing. Hence, operations like search, insert, delete can be performed in Constant Time.
From Python 3.7 Version onward, Python dictionary are Ordered.
How to Create a Dictionary
Dictionary can be created by placing a sequence of elements within curly {} braces, separated by a 'comma'.
Python d1 = {1: 'Geeks', 2: 'For', 3: 'Geeks'} print(d1) # create dictionary using dict() constructor d2 = dict(a = "Geeks", b = "for", c = "Geeks") print(d2)

Output
{1: 'Geeks', 2: 'For', 3: 'Geeks'} {'a': 'Geeks', 'b': 'for', 'c': 'Geeks'}
Accessing Dictionary Items
We can access a value from a dictionary by using the key within square brackets or get() method.
Python d = { "name": "Prajjwal", 1: "Python", (1, 2): [1,2,4] } # Access using key print(d["name"]) # Access using get() print(d.get("name"))

Output
Prajjwal Prajjwal
Adding and Updating Dictionary Items
We can add new key-value pairs or update existing keys by using assignment.
Python d = {1: 'Geeks', 2: 'For', 3: 'Geeks'} # Adding a new key-value pair d["age"] = 22 # Updating an existing value d[1] = "Python dict" print(d)

Output
{1: 'Python dict', 2: 'For', 3: 'Geeks', 'age': 22}
Removing Dictionary Items
We can remove items from dictionary using the following methods:
del: Removes an item by key.
pop(): Removes an item by key and returns its value.
clear(): Empties the dictionary.
popitem(): Removes and returns the last key-value pair.
Python d = {1: 'Geeks', 2: 'For', 3: 'Geeks', 'age':22} # Using del to remove an item del d["age"] print(d) # Using pop() to remove an item and return the value val = d.pop(1) print(val) # Using popitem to removes and returns # the last key-value pair. key, val = d.popitem() print(f"Key: {key}, Value: {val}") # Clear all items from the dictionary d.clear() print(d)

Output
{1: 'Geeks', 2: 'For', 3: 'Geeks'} Geeks Key: 3, Value: Geeks {}
Iterating Through a Dictionary
We can iterate over keys [using keys() method] , values [using values() method] or both [using item() method] with a for loop.
Python d = {1: 'Geeks', 2: 'For', 'age':22} # Iterate over keys for key in d: print(key) # Iterate over values for value in d.values(): print(value) # Iterate over key-value pairs for key, value in d.items(): print(f"{key}: {value}")

Output
1 2 age Geeks For 22 1: Geeks 2: For age: 22
Read in detail: Ways to Iterating Over a Dictionary
Nested Dictionaries
Example of Nested Dictionary:
Python d = {1: 'Geeks', 2: 'For', 3: {'A': 'Welcome', 'B': 'To', 'C': 'Geeks'}} print(d)

Output
{1: 'Geeks', 2: 'For', 3: {'A': 'Welcome', 'B': 'To', 'C': 'Geeks'}}
Read in Detail: Python Nested Dictionary
Related Links:
Python Dictionary Quiz
Dictionary Comprehension
Dictionary Methods
Dictionary Creation Programs.
Dictionary Add/Append Programs.
Dictionary Removal Programs.
Dictionary Access Programs.
Dictionary Conversion Programs.
Python Dictionary Copy Vs Deep Copy
Python Dictionary Exercise
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Intro to Dictionary - Python
Dictionary in Python - II
Dictionary in Python - III
Uncommon characters
Dictionary Practice Problems

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