Python Program to Iterate Over Dictionaries Using for Loop

To understand this example, you should have the knowledge of the following Python programming topics:


Example 1: Access both key and value using items()

dt = {'a': 'juice', 'b': 'grill', 'c': 'corn'}

for key, value in dt.items():
    print(key, value)

Output

a juice
b grill
c corn
  • Using a for loop, pass two loop variables key and value for iterable dt.items(). items() returns the key:value pairs.
  • Print key and value.

Example 2: Access both key and value without using items()

dt = {'a': 'juice', 'b': 'grill', 'c': 'corn'}

for key in dt:
    print(key, dt[key])

Output

a juice
b grill
c corn
  • Iterate through the dictionary using a for loop.
  • Print the loop variable key and value at key (i.e. dt[key]).

However, the more pythonic way is example 1.


Example 3: Access both key and value using iteritems()

dt = {'a': 'juice', 'b': 'grill', 'c': 'corn'}

for key, value in dt.iteritems():
    print(key, value)

Output

a juice
b grill
c corn

It works for python 2 versions.

As in Example 1, we can use iteritems() for python 2 versions.


Example 4: Return keys or values explicitly

dt = {'a': 'juice', 'b': 'grill', 'c': 'corn'}

for key in dt.keys():
    print(key)

for value in dt.values():
    print(value)

Output

a
b
c
juice
grill
corn

You can use keys() and values() to explicitly return keys and values of the dictionary respectively.


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