default dict in python code example

Example 1: python defaultdict

>>> from collections import defaultdict
>>> ice_cream = defaultdict(lambda: 'Vanilla')
>>>
>>> ice_cream = defaultdict(lambda: 'Vanilla')
>>> ice_cream['Sarah'] = 'Chunky Monkey'
>>> ice_cream['Abdul'] = 'Butter Pecan'
>>> print ice_cream['Sarah']
Chunky Monkey
>>> print ice_cream['Joe']
Vanilla
>>>

Example 2: defaultdict in python

>>> s = [('yellow', 1), ('blue', 2), ('yellow', 3), ('blue', 4), ('red', 1)]
>>> d = defaultdict(list)
>>> for k, v in s:
...     d[k].append(v)
...
>>> d.items()
[('blue', [2, 4]), ('red', [1]), ('yellow', [1, 3])]

Example 3: defaultdict key exists

'in' is the intended way to test for the existence of a key in a dict.

d = {"key1": 10, "key2": 23}

if "key1" in d:
    print("this will execute")

if "nonexistent key" in d:
    print("this will not")