Accessing & Updating Items0%
Accessing & Updating Items
Beginner8 min read•Updated: 2026-09-03
Accessing & Updating Items
Safely access values using the .get() method to avoid KeyError crashes.
Key Concepts & Detailed Explanation
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Code Examples & Output
Python
institute = {
"name": "MSK Institute",
"city": "Shikohabad",
"courses": 15
}
# Bracket access (crashes if key doesn't exist!)
print("City:", institute["city"])
# Safe access with .get()
branch = institute.get("branch", "Main Campus (Default)")
print("Branch:", branch)
# Updating existing key & adding new key
institute["courses"] = 16 # Updated
institute["established"] = 2018 # New key added
print("Updated institute:", institute)
Expected Output:
Output
City: Shikohabad
Branch: Main Campus (Default)
Updated institute: {'name': 'MSK Institute', 'city': 'Shikohabad', 'courses': 16, 'established': 2018}
Best Practices & Common Pitfalls
Always use .get(key, default) when reading keys that may not exist in external API responses or config files.
Practice Quiz
1. What happens when you access a non-existent key with 'dict[key]'?
- A) Returns None
- B) Raises KeyError
- C) Returns False
- D) Creates the key
Answer: B
Explanation: Bracket access raises KeyError if the key is missing.
2. What does 'd.get("missing", "N/A")' return if "missing" is not in d?
- A) KeyError
- B) None
- C) "N/A"
- D) False
Answer: C
Explanation: .get() returns the provided fallback default.
Practice Challenge
Write a program that looks up an employee's salary using .get() with a default of ₹25,000.
Next Lesson
Adding & Removing Items
Continue learning with hands-on practice, examples, and exercises in the upcoming topic.
Related Lessons
| Previous Lesson | Next Lesson |
|---|---|
| Dictionaries Introduction | Adding & Removing Items |
Practice Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with 1 questions. Each question has one correct answer.