Question

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Python dictionary, keep keys/values in same order as declared

If I have in a particular program two different dictionaries with the same keys (but different values), will .keys() be in the same order? I made a few tests and it seems to be the case, but without knowing are how the internals of the dict I am not sure if this is guaranteed.

Thanks,

Answer 1

You cannot rely on the key order at all:

>>> {1: None, 9: None}
{1: None, 9: None}
>>> {9: None, 1: None}
{9: None, 1: None}
>>> {1: None, 2: None}
{1: None, 2: None}
>>> {2: None, 1: None}
{1: None, 2: None}

Dictionaries are unordered. In Python 2.7, there is collections.OrderedDict, though.