Question

While Using Python Dictionary DataStructure (which contains key-value pair) if i want to retrieve some value from my Dictionary i have two options d[”] and g.get(‘key’) so i am confused now which is better and Why ?? I understand both some way but when it comes to memory consumption and evaluation in memory which one is better ??

Hoping for some Positive reply,

Regards.

Answer 1

From the Python Library Docs

d[key]
Return the item of d with key key. Raises a KeyError if key is not in the map.

If a subclass of dict defines a method __missing__(), if the key key is not present, the d[key] operation calls that method with the key key as argument. The d[key] operation then returns or raises whatever is returned or raised by the __missing__(key) call if the key is not present. No other operations or methods invoke __missing__(). If __missing__() is not defined, KeyError is raised. __missing__() must be a method; it cannot be an instance variable. […]

and

get(key[, default])
Return the value for key if key is in the dictionary, else default. If default is not given, it defaults to None, so that this method never raises a KeyError.

The difference lies in the return value. When you ask for the value corresponding to a non-existing key, you either want

1. A KeyError raised
2. A callback invoked
3. A default value returned

Python provides the different functionalities through multiple methods.

There will be a performance hit using [] when the key is not found, either in calling _missing_ or raising the exception. As to which one is faster when the key IS present, I checked the source code. (I used 2.7.2 for this check.) In dictobject.c we see:

• get calls dict_get
• [] calls dict_subscript

Now if the values are present, in dict_get we have

if (!PyArg_UnpackTuple(args, "get", 1, 2, &key, &failobj))
    return NULL;

if (!PyString_CheckExact(key) ||
    (hash = ((PyStringObject *) key)->ob_shash) == -1) {
    hash = PyObject_Hash(key);
    if (hash == -1)
        return NULL;
}
ep = (mp->ma_lookup)(mp, key, hash);

and in dict_subscript we have

assert(mp->ma_table != NULL);
if (!PyString_CheckExact(key) ||
    (hash = ((PyStringObject *) key)->ob_shash) == -1) {
    hash = PyObject_Hash(key);
    if (hash == -1)
        return NULL;
ep = (mp->ma_lookup)(mp, key, hash);

The only difference is that get does an extra unpack tuple!

Significant? I have no idea. 🙂