What is the Python equivalent for a case/switch statement? [duplicate]

Unlike many other programming languages like C, Java, or JavaScript, Python doesn’t have a built-in switch statement. But don’t worry—there are several ways to achieve similar functionality!

1. Using if-elif-else (The Most Common Alternative)

Python developers often use if-elif-else statements to handle multiple conditions:

def switch_example(value):

    if value == "apple":

        return "This is a fruit!"

    elif value == "carrot":

        return "This is a vegetable!"

    else:

        return "Unknown item"

print(switch_example("apple"))  # Output: This is a fruit!

• Simple and easy to read
  
• Best for a small number of conditions
  

2. Using a Dictionary (More Efficient for Constant Keys)

A dictionary can act like a switch statement by mapping keys to functions:

def fruit(): return "This is a fruit!"

def vegetable(): return "This is a vegetable!"

def unknown(): return "Unknown item"

switch_dict = {

    "apple": fruit,

    "carrot": vegetable

}

print(switch_dict.get("apple", unknown)())  # Output: This is a fruit!

• Faster than if-elif-else for large cases
  
• Avoids multiple conditional checks
  

3. Using match-case (Python 3.10+)

Python 3.10 introduced match-case, which works similarly to a switch statement:

def check_item(value):

    match value:

        case "apple":

            return "This is a fruit!"

        case "carrot":

            return "This is a vegetable!"

        case _:

            return "Unknown item"

print(check_item("apple"))  # Output: This is a fruit!

• More readable and structured
  
• Only available in Python 3.10 and newer
  

Each approach has its use cases—choose the one that fits your needs best!