How Can We Best Switch in Python?

case_switch.py

# BLOG: https://medium.com/swlh/how-can-we-best-switch-in-python-458fb33f7835


def explain_char(character):
    """
    switch using if / elif / else
    """
    something = ''
    if character == 'a':
        something = 'first letter of alphabet'
    elif character == 'l':
        something = 'letter of lover'
    elif character == 'z':
        something = 'last letter of alphabet'
    else:
        something = 'some other character'
    print(f'{character}: {something}')

explain_char('a')
explain_char('b')
explain_char('a')
explain_char('l')
explain_char('z')
print('\n')



# globals
characters = {
    'a': 'first letter of alphabet',
    'l': 'letter of love',
    'z': 'last letter of alphabet'
    }



def explain_char_with_dict(character):
    """
    switch using a dictionary and get()
    """
    something = characters.get(character, 'some other character')
    print(f'{character}: {something}')

explain_char_with_dict('a')
explain_char_with_dict('b')
explain_char_with_dict('a')
explain_char_with_dict('l')
explain_char_with_dict('z')
print('\n')



def explain_char_with_dict_existence(character):
    """
    switch using a dictionary with var existnce check
    """
    something = ''
    if character in characters:
        something = characters[character]
    else:
        something = 'some other character'
    print(f'{character}: {something}')

explain_char_with_dict_existence('a')
explain_char_with_dict_existence('b')
explain_char_with_dict_existence('a')
explain_char_with_dict_existence('l')
explain_char_with_dict_existence('z')
print('\n')



from collections import defaultdict
def explain_char_defaultdict(character):
    """
    switch using `defaultdict` from `collections` module
    """
    character_with_default = defaultdict(lambda: 'some other character',
                                          characters)
    print(f'{character}: {character_with_default[character]}')

explain_char_defaultdict('a')
explain_char_defaultdict('b')
explain_char_defaultdict('a')
explain_char_defaultdict('l')
explain_char_defaultdict('z')
print('\n')

related blog post: https://medium.com/swlh/how-can-we-best-switch-in-python-458fb33f7835

output will be 4 x

a: first letter of alphabet
b: some other character
a: first letter of alphabet
l: letter of lover
z: last letter of alphabet