Beginner's Guide: Python Dictionaries - Key-Value Pairs and Iteration Techniques

This article introduces Python Dictionaries, which store data as key-value pairs. Keys are unique and immutable types (e.g., strings, numbers), while values can be of any type, similar to an address book. Creation: Use `{}` with key-value pairs like `{"name": "Xiaoming", "age": 18}`. Access: Directly use `dict[key]` (raises an error if the key does not exist); the `get()` method is recommended for safety (returns None or a custom value by default). Modification/Addition: Assign a value; if the key exists, its value is updated; if not, a new key-value pair is added. Deletion: Use `del dict[key]` or `dict.pop(key)`. Iteration: Three methods: `for key in dict` (iterates over keys), `for value in dict.values()` (iterates over values), and `for key, value in dict.items()` (iterates over key-value pairs). Common techniques: Use `in` to check key existence, `len()` to get the length, and `update()` to merge dictionaries (overwriting duplicate keys). Dictionaries are flexible and efficient, ideal for storing relational data. Mastering core operations enables proficient application.