How to check if a key exists in a dictionary python

Question

Problem:

I am starting writing code in python. I wanted to test if a key exists in a dictionary before updating the value for the key. I wrote the following code:

if 'key1' in dict.keys():
  print "Present"
else:
  print "Thanks"

If there any other way to check this, please let me know.

Answer 1

In your code, you have used the if and in method. This method simply uses if statement to check whether the given key exists in the dictionary. I don’t why are you thinking this is not the best way to check. This is one of the most used methods.

Well, as far as you don’t like to write code in this method. I can introduce you to another way to do the same thing by using the Inbuilt method keys()

def checkKey(dict, key): 
      
    if key in dict.keys(): 
        print("Present, ", end =" ") 
        print("value =", dict[key]) 
    else: 
        print("Thanks") 
  
# Driver Code 
dict = {'a': 100, 'b':200, 'c':300} 
  
key = 'b'
checkKey(dict, key) 
  
key = 'w'
checkKey(dict, key) 

The keys() method returns a list of all the available keys in the dictionary. With the Inbuilt method keys(), use if statement and the ‘in’ operator to check if the key is present in the dictionary or not.

Thanks.