Dictionary Objects — Python 3.14.7 documentation
Description: Dictionary View Objects: Ordered Dictionaries: Python’s C API provides interface for collections.OrderedDict from C. Since Python 3.7, dictionaries are ordered by default, so there is usually littl...

# Dictionary Objects

type PyDictObject

  This subtype of `PyObject` represents a Python dictionary object.

PyTypeObject PyDict_Type
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  This instance of `PyTypeObject` represents the Python dictionary type. This is the same object as `dict` in the Python layer.

int PyDict_Check(PyObject *p)
  Thread safety: Atomic.

  Return true if p is a dict object or an instance of a subtype of the dict type. This function always succeeds.

int PyDict_CheckExact(PyObject *p)
  Thread safety: Atomic.

  Return true if p is a dict object, but not an instance of a subtype of the dict type. This function always succeeds.

PyObject *PyDict_New()
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Atomic.

  Return a new empty dictionary, or `NULL` on failure.

PyObject *PyDictProxy_New(PyObject *mapping)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI.

  Return a `types.MappingProxyType` object for a mapping which enforces read-only behavior. This is normally used to create a view to prevent modification of the dictionary for non-dynamic class types.

PyTypeObject PyDictProxy_Type
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  The type object for mapping proxy objects created by `PyDictProxy_New()` and for the read-only `__dict__` attribute of many built-in types. A `PyDictProxy_Type` instance provides a dynamic, read-only view of an underlying dictionary: changes to the underlying dictionary are reflected in the proxy, but the proxy itself does not support mutation operations. This corresponds to `types.MappingProxyType` in Python.

void PyDict_Clear(PyObject *p)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Atomic.

  Empty an existing dictionary of all key-value pairs.

int PyDict_Contains(PyObject *p, PyObject *key)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Safe for concurrent use on the same object.

  Determine if dictionary p contains key. If an item in p matches key, return `1`, otherwise return `0`. On error, return `-1`. This is equivalent to the Python expression `key in p`.

  Note

  The operation is atomic on free threading when key is `str`, `int`, `float`, `bool` or `bytes`.

int PyDict_ContainsString(PyObject *p, const char *key)
  Thread safety: Atomic.

  This is the same as `PyDict_Contains()`, but key is specified as a const char* UTF-8 encoded bytes string, rather than a PyObject*.

  Added in version 3.13.

PyObject *PyDict_Copy(PyObject *p)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Atomic.

  Return a new dictionary that contains the same key-value pairs as p.

int PyDict_SetItem(PyObject *p, PyObject *key, PyObject *val)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Safe for concurrent use on the same object.

  Insert val into the dictionary p with a key of key. key must be hashable; if it isn’t, `TypeError` will be raised. Return `0` on success or `-1` on failure. This function does not “steal” a reference to val.

  Note

  The operation is atomic on free threading when key is `str`, `int`, `float`, `bool` or `bytes`.

int PyDict_SetItemString(PyObject *p, const char *key, PyObject *val)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Atomic.

  This is the same as `PyDict_SetItem()`, but key is specified as a const char* UTF-8 encoded bytes string, rather than a PyObject*.

int PyDict_DelItem(PyObject *p, PyObject *key)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Safe for concurrent use on the same object.

  Remove the entry in dictionary p with key key. key must be hashable; if it isn’t, `TypeError` is raised. If key is not in the dictionary, `KeyError` is raised. Return `0` on success or `-1` on failure.

  Note

  The operation is atomic on free threading when key is `str`, `int`, `float`, `bool` or `bytes`.

int PyDict_DelItemString(PyObject *p, const char *key)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Atomic.

  This is the same as `PyDict_DelItem()`, but key is specified as a const char* UTF-8 encoded bytes string, rather than a PyObject*.

int PyDict_GetItemRef(PyObject *p, PyObject *key, PyObject **result)
  Part of the Stable ABI since version 3.13. Thread safety: Safe for concurrent use on the same object.

  Return a new strong reference to the object from dictionary p which has a key key:

  - If the key is present, set *result to a new strong reference to the value and return `1`.

  - If the key is missing, set *result to `NULL` and return `0`.

  - On error, raise an exception, set *result to `NULL` and return `-1`.

  Note

  The operation is atomic on free threading when key is `str`, `int`, `float`, `bool` or `bytes`.

  Added in version 3.13.

  See also the `PyObject_GetItem()` function.

PyObject *PyDict_GetItem(PyObject *p, PyObject *key)
  Return value: Borrowed reference. Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Safe to call from multiple threads with external synchronization only.

  Return a borrowed reference to the object from dictionary p which has a key key. Return `NULL` if the key key is missing without setting an exception.

  Note

  Exceptions that occur while this calls `__hash__()` and `__eq__()` methods are silently ignored. Prefer the `PyDict_GetItemWithError()` function instead.

  Note

  In the free-threaded build, the returned borrowed reference may become invalid if another thread modifies the dictionary concurrently. Prefer `PyDict_GetItemRef()`, which returns a strong reference.

  Changed in version 3.10: Calling this API without an attached thread state had been allowed for historical reason. It is no longer allowed.

PyObject *PyDict_GetItemWithError(PyObject *p, PyObject *key)
  Return value: Borrowed reference. Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Safe to call from multiple threads with external synchronization only.

  Variant of `PyDict_GetItem()` that does not suppress exceptions. Return `NULL` with an exception set if an exception occurred. Return `NULL` without an exception set if the key wasn’t present.

  Note

  In the free-threaded build, the returned borrowed reference may become invalid if another thread modifies the dictionary concurrently. Prefer `PyDict_GetItemRef()`, which returns a strong reference.

PyObject *PyDict_GetItemString(PyObject *p, const char *key)
  Return value: Borrowed reference. Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Safe to call from multiple threads with external synchronization only.

  This is the same as `PyDict_GetItem()`, but key is specified as a const char* UTF-8 encoded bytes string, rather than a PyObject*.

  Note

  Exceptions that occur while this calls `__hash__()` and `__eq__()` methods or while creating the temporary `str` object are silently ignored. Prefer using the `PyDict_GetItemWithError()` function with your own `PyUnicode_FromString()` key instead.

  Note

  In the free-threaded build, the returned borrowed reference may become invalid if another thread modifies the dictionary concurrently. Prefer `PyDict_GetItemStringRef()`, which returns a strong reference.

int PyDict_GetItemStringRef(PyObject *p, const char *key, PyObject **result)
  Part of the Stable ABI since version 3.13. Thread safety: Atomic.

  Similar to `PyDict_GetItemRef()`, but key is specified as a const char* UTF-8 encoded bytes string, rather than a PyObject*.

  Added in version 3.13.

PyObject *PyDict_SetDefault(PyObject *p, PyObject *key, PyObject *defaultobj)
  Return value: Borrowed reference. Thread safety: Safe to call from multiple threads with external synchronization only.

  This is the same as the Python-level `dict.setdefault()`. If present, it returns the value corresponding to key from the dictionary p. If the key is not in the dict, it is inserted with value defaultobj and defaultobj is returned. This function evaluates the hash function of key only once, instead of evaluating it independently for the lookup and the insertion.

  Added in version 3.4.

  Note

  In the free-threaded build, the returned borrowed reference may become invalid if another thread modifies the dictionary concurrently. Prefer `PyDict_SetDefaultRef()`, which returns a strong reference.

int PyDict_SetDefaultRef(PyObject *p, PyObject *key, PyObject *default_value, PyObject **result)
  Thread safety: Safe for concurrent use on the same object.

  Inserts default_value into the dictionary p with a key of key if the key is not already present in the dictionary. If result is not `NULL`, then *result is set to a strong reference to either default_value, if the key was not present, or the existing value, if key was already present in the dictionary. Returns `1` if the key was present and default_value was not inserted, or `0` if the key was not present and default_value was inserted. On failure, returns `-1`, sets an exception, and sets `*result` to `NULL`.

  For clarity: if you have a strong reference to default_value before calling this function, then after it returns, you hold a strong reference to both default_value and *result (if it’s not `NULL`). These may refer to the same object: in that case you hold two separate references to it.

  Note

  The operation is atomic on free threading when key is `str`, `int`, `float`, `bool` or `bytes`.

  Added in version 3.13.

int PyDict_Pop(PyObject *p, PyObject *key, PyObject **result)
  Thread safety: Safe for concurrent use on the same object.

  Remove key from dictionary p and optionally return the removed value. Do not raise `KeyError` if the key is missing.

  - If the key is present, set *result to a new reference to the removed value if result is not `NULL`, and return `1`.

  - If the key is missing, set *result to `NULL` if result is not `NULL`, and return `0`.

  - On error, raise an exception and return `-1`.

  Similar to `dict.pop()`, but without the default value and not raising `KeyError` if the key is missing.

  Note

  The operation is atomic on free threading when key is `str`, `int`, `float`, `bool` or `bytes`.

  Added in version 3.13.

int PyDict_PopString(PyObject *p, const char *key, PyObject **result)
  Thread safety: Atomic.

  Similar to `PyDict_Pop()`, but key is specified as a const char* UTF-8 encoded bytes string, rather than a PyObject*.

  Added in version 3.13.

PyObject *PyDict_Items(PyObject *p)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Atomic.

  Return a `PyListObject` containing all the items from the dictionary.

PyObject *PyDict_Keys(PyObject *p)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Atomic.

  Return a `PyListObject` containing all the keys from the dictionary.

PyObject *PyDict_Values(PyObject *p)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Atomic.

  Return a `PyListObject` containing all the values from the dictionary p.

Py_ssize_t PyDict_Size(PyObject *p)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Atomic.

  Return the number of items in the dictionary. This is equivalent to `len(p)` on a dictionary.

Py_ssize_t PyDict_GET_SIZE(PyObject *p)
  Thread safety: Atomic.

  Similar to `PyDict_Size()`, but without error checking.

int PyDict_Next(PyObject *p, Py_ssize_t *ppos, PyObject **pkey, PyObject **pvalue)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Safe to call from multiple threads with external synchronization only.

  Iterate over all key-value pairs in the dictionary p. The `Py_ssize_t` referred to by ppos must be initialized to `0` prior to the first call to this function to start the iteration; the function returns true for each pair in the dictionary, and false once all pairs have been reported. The parameters pkey and pvalue should either point to PyObject* variables that will be filled in with each key and value, respectively, or may be `NULL`. Any references returned through them are borrowed. ppos should not be altered during iteration. Its value represents offsets within the internal dictionary structure, and since the structure is sparse, the offsets are not consecutive.

  For example:

      PyObject *key, *value;
      Py_ssize_t pos = 0;

      while (PyDict_Next(self->dict, &pos, &key, &value)) {
          /* do something interesting with the values... */
          ...
      }

  The dictionary p should not be mutated during iteration. It is safe to modify the values of the keys as you iterate over the dictionary, but only so long as the set of keys does not change. For example:

      PyObject *key, *value;
      Py_ssize_t pos = 0;

      while (PyDict_Next(self->dict, &pos, &key, &value)) {
          long i = PyLong_AsLong(value);
          if (i == -1 && PyErr_Occurred()) {
              return -1;
          }
          PyObject *o = PyLong_FromLong(i + 1);
          if (o == NULL)
              return -1;
          if (PyDict_SetItem(self->dict, key, o) < 0) {
              Py_DECREF(o);
              return -1;
          }
          Py_DECREF(o);
      }

  The function is not thread-safe in the free-threaded build without external synchronization. You can use `Py_BEGIN_CRITICAL_SECTION` to lock the dictionary while iterating over it:

      Py_BEGIN_CRITICAL_SECTION(self->dict);
      while (PyDict_Next(self->dict, &pos, &key, &value)) {
          ...
      }
      Py_END_CRITICAL_SECTION();

  Note

  On the free-threaded build, this function can be used safely inside a critical section. However, the references returned for pkey and pvalue are borrowed and are only valid while the critical section is held. If you need to use these objects outside the critical section or when the critical section can be suspended, create a strong reference (for example, using `Py_NewRef()`).

int PyDict_Merge(PyObject *a, PyObject *b, int override)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Safe for concurrent use on the same object.

  Iterate over mapping object b adding key-value pairs to dictionary a. b may be a dictionary, or any object supporting `PyMapping_Keys()` and `PyObject_GetItem()`. If override is true, existing pairs in a will be replaced if a matching key is found in b, otherwise pairs will only be added if there is not a matching key in a. Return `0` on success or `-1` if an exception was raised.

  Note

  In the free-threaded build, when b is a `dict` (with the standard iterator), both a and b are locked for the duration of the operation. When b is a non-dict mapping, only a is locked; b may be concurrently modified by another thread.

int PyDict_Update(PyObject *a, PyObject *b)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Safe for concurrent use on the same object.

  This is the same as `PyDict_Merge(a, b, 1)` in C, and is similar to `a.update(b)` in Python except that `PyDict_Update()` doesn’t fall back to the iterating over a sequence of key value pairs if the second argument has no “keys” attribute. Return `0` on success or `-1` if an exception was raised.

  Note

  In the free-threaded build, when b is a `dict` (with the standard iterator), both a and b are locked for the duration of the operation. When b is a non-dict mapping, only a is locked; b may be concurrently modified by another thread.

int PyDict_MergeFromSeq2(PyObject *a, PyObject *seq2, int override)
  Part of the Stable ABI. Thread safety: Safe for concurrent use on the same object.

  Update or merge into dictionary a, from the key-value pairs in seq2. seq2 must be an iterable object producing iterable objects of length 2, viewed as key-value pairs. In case of duplicate keys, the last wins if override is true, else the first wins. Return `0` on success or `-1` if an exception was raised. Equivalent Python (except for the return value):

      def PyDict_MergeFromSeq2(a, seq2, override):
          for key, value in seq2:
              if override or key not in a:
                  a[key] = value

  Note

  In the free-threaded build, only a is locked. The iteration over seq2 is not synchronized; seq2 may be concurrently modified by another thread.

int PyDict_AddWatcher(PyDict_WatchCallback callback)
  Thread safety: Safe to call from multiple threads with external synchronization only.

  Register callback as a dictionary watcher. Return a non-negative integer id which must be passed to future calls to `PyDict_Watch()`. In case of error (e.g. no more watcher IDs available), return `-1` and set an exception.

  Note

  This function is not internally synchronized. In the free-threaded build, callers should ensure no concurrent calls to `PyDict_AddWatcher()` or `PyDict_ClearWatcher()` are in progress.

  Added in version 3.12.

int PyDict_ClearWatcher(int watcher_id)
  Thread safety: Safe to call from multiple threads with external synchronization only.

  Clear watcher identified by watcher_id previously returned from `PyDict_AddWatcher()`. Return `0` on success, `-1` on error (e.g. if the given watcher_id was never registered.)

  Note

  This function is not internally synchronized. In the free-threaded build, callers should ensure no concurrent calls to `PyDict_AddWatcher()` or `PyDict_ClearWatcher()` are in progress.

  Added in version 3.12.

int PyDict_Watch(int watcher_id, PyObject *dict)
  Thread safety: Safe to call without external synchronization on distinct objects.

  Mark dictionary dict as watched. The callback granted watcher_id by `PyDict_AddWatcher()` will be called when dict is modified or deallocated. Return `0` on success or `-1` on error.

  Added in version 3.12.

int PyDict_Unwatch(int watcher_id, PyObject *dict)
  Thread safety: Safe to call without external synchronization on distinct objects.

  Mark dictionary dict as no longer watched. The callback granted watcher_id by `PyDict_AddWatcher()` will no longer be called when dict is modified or deallocated. The dict must previously have been watched by this watcher. Return `0` on success or `-1` on error.

  Added in version 3.12.

type PyDict_WatchEvent

  Enumeration of possible dictionary watcher events: `PyDict_EVENT_ADDED`, `PyDict_EVENT_MODIFIED`, `PyDict_EVENT_DELETED`, `PyDict_EVENT_CLONED`, `PyDict_EVENT_CLEARED`, or `PyDict_EVENT_DEALLOCATED`.

  Added in version 3.12.

typedef int (*PyDict_WatchCallback)(PyDict_WatchEvent event, PyObject *dict, PyObject *key, PyObject *new_value)

  Type of a dict watcher callback function.

  If event is `PyDict_EVENT_CLEARED` or `PyDict_EVENT_DEALLOCATED`, both key and new_value will be `NULL`. If event is `PyDict_EVENT_ADDED` or `PyDict_EVENT_MODIFIED`, new_value will be the new value for key. If event is `PyDict_EVENT_DELETED`, key is being deleted from the dictionary and new_value will be `NULL`.

  `PyDict_EVENT_CLONED` occurs when dict was previously empty and another dict is merged into it. To maintain efficiency of this operation, per-key `PyDict_EVENT_ADDED` events are not issued in this case; instead a single `PyDict_EVENT_CLONED` is issued, and key will be the source dictionary.

  The callback may inspect but must not modify dict; doing so could have unpredictable effects, including infinite recursion. Do not trigger Python code execution in the callback, as it could modify the dict as a side effect.

  If event is `PyDict_EVENT_DEALLOCATED`, taking a new reference in the callback to the about-to-be-destroyed dictionary will resurrect it and prevent it from being freed at this time. When the resurrected object is destroyed later, any watcher callbacks active at that time will be called again.

  Callbacks occur before the notified modification to dict takes place, so the prior state of dict can be inspected.

  If the callback sets an exception, it must return `-1`; this exception will be printed as an unraisable exception using `PyErr_WriteUnraisable()`. Otherwise it should return `0`.

  There may already be a pending exception set on entry to the callback. In this case, the callback should return `0` with the same exception still set. This means the callback may not call any other API that can set an exception unless it saves and clears the exception state first, and restores it before returning.

  Added in version 3.12.

## Dictionary View Objects

int PyDictViewSet_Check(PyObject *op)

  Return true if op is a view of a set inside a dictionary. This is currently equivalent to PyDictKeys_Check(op) || PyDictItems_Check(op). This function always succeeds.

PyTypeObject PyDictKeys_Type
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  Type object for a view of dictionary keys. In Python, this is the type of the object returned by `dict.keys()`.

int PyDictKeys_Check(PyObject *op)

  Return true if op is an instance of a dictionary keys view. This function always succeeds.

PyTypeObject PyDictValues_Type
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  Type object for a view of dictionary values. In Python, this is the type of the object returned by `dict.values()`.

int PyDictValues_Check(PyObject *op)

  Return true if op is an instance of a dictionary values view. This function always succeeds.

PyTypeObject PyDictItems_Type
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  Type object for a view of dictionary items. In Python, this is the type of the object returned by `dict.items()`.

int PyDictItems_Check(PyObject *op)

  Return true if op is an instance of a dictionary items view. This function always succeeds.

## Ordered Dictionaries

Python’s C API provides interface for `collections.OrderedDict` from C. Since Python 3.7, dictionaries are ordered by default, so there is usually little need for these functions; prefer `PyDict*` where possible.

PyTypeObject PyODict_Type

  Type object for ordered dictionaries. This is the same object as `collections.OrderedDict` in the Python layer.

int PyODict_Check(PyObject *od)

  Return true if od is an ordered dictionary object or an instance of a subtype of the `OrderedDict` type. This function always succeeds.

int PyODict_CheckExact(PyObject *od)

  Return true if od is an ordered dictionary object, but not an instance of a subtype of the `OrderedDict` type. This function always succeeds.

PyTypeObject PyODictKeys_Type

  Analogous to `PyDictKeys_Type` for ordered dictionaries.

PyTypeObject PyODictValues_Type

  Analogous to `PyDictValues_Type` for ordered dictionaries.

PyTypeObject PyODictItems_Type

  Analogous to `PyDictItems_Type` for ordered dictionaries.

PyObject *PyODict_New(void)

  Return a new empty ordered dictionary, or `NULL` on failure.

  This is analogous to `PyDict_New()`.

int PyODict_SetItem(PyObject *od, PyObject *key, PyObject *value)

  Insert value into the ordered dictionary od with a key of key. Return `0` on success or `-1` with an exception set on failure.

  This is analogous to `PyDict_SetItem()`.

int PyODict_DelItem(PyObject *od, PyObject *key)

  Remove the entry in the ordered dictionary od with key key. Return `0` on success or `-1` with an exception set on failure.

  This is analogous to `PyDict_DelItem()`.

These are soft deprecated aliases to `PyDict` APIs:

`PyODict` | `PyDict`
--- | ---
PyODict_GetItem(od, key) | `PyDict_GetItem()`
PyODict_GetItemWithError(od, key) | `PyDict_GetItemWithError()`
PyODict_GetItemString(od, key) | `PyDict_GetItemString()`
PyODict_Contains(od, key) | `PyDict_Contains()`
PyODict_Size(od) | `PyDict_Size()`
PyODict_SIZE(od) | `PyDict_GET_SIZE()`