How to Get Multiple Values From a Dictionary in Python

In Python, a dictionary is a built-in data type that can store multiple key-value pairs. For beginners and even experienced programmers, accessing multiple values from a dictionary can sometimes seem challenging.

This extensive tutorial will guide you on how to get multiple values from a dictionary in Python, making use of Python’s built-in features.

Step 1: Creating a Python Dictionary

First and foremost, you need to create a dictionary. A Python dictionary is created using curly braces {}. Inside these braces, keys and values are declared by separating them with a colon : and every key-value pair is separated by a comma ,.

Here is an example:

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details = {
    "Name": "John",
    "Age": 30,
    "Country": "USA"
}

Step 2: Accessing Multiple Values from a Dictionary

Values in a dictionary can be accessed using their corresponding keys. To get multiple values, you will need to call these keys sequentially.

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name = details['Name']
age = details['Age']

Step 3: Using get() Method

You can also use the dictionary’s get() method. This method returns the value for the given key, if present in the dictionary. If not, then it will return a default value. This method helps prevent any potential errors arising from attempting to access a non-existent key.

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name = details.get('Name')
age = details.get('Age')

Step 4: Getting Multiple Values using List Comprehension

You can also get multiple values using list comprehension in Python – a compact way of creating lists.

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info = [details[k] for k in ('Name', 'Age')]

Full code:

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# 1. Create a Dictionary
details = {
    "Name": "John",
    "Age": 30,
    "Country": "USA"
}
 
# 2. Accessing Dictionary Values
name = details['Name']
age = details['Age']
 
# Print the details
print('Name: ', name)
print('Age: ', age)
 
# 3. Using get() Method
name = details.get('Name')
age = details.get('Age')
 
# Print the details
print('Name: ', name)
print('Age: ', age)
 
# 4. Using list comprehension
info = [details[k] for k in ('Name', 'Age')]
 
print('Info: ', info)

Output

Name:  John
Age:  30
Name:  John
Age:  30
Info:  ['John', 30]

Conclusion

As you can see, Python provides multiple ways of retrieving values from a dictionary. Experiment with these methods to see which one works best for your specific application. Remember, practice makes perfect! Continue exploring and experimenting with Python, and you’ll consistently grow as a programmer.