Default Value in Dictioary

Question

pairs = {1: "apple",
"orange": [2, 3, 4],
True: False,
None: "True",
}
print(pairs.get(1, "not in dictionary"))
print(pairs.get("orange", "not in dictionary"))

Expected Output:
"apple"
[2, 3, 4]

Actual Output:
False
[2, 3, 4]

Why is it coming False instead of apple?

Answer 1

The problem is that in Python there is no real True/False value type, and 1 is strictly equal to True, so in reality, when you declare your array, you implicitly override the value of key '1' with the assignment of 'True' key... Try to:

print(pairs)

would output something like ( unordered dict ):
{'orange': [2, 3, 4], 1:False, None: 'True'}

However, you can define a '1' key as string instead of int, whithout overriding or be overrided by a True/1 key value:

pairs = {'1': "apple",
"orange": [2, 3, 4],
True: False,
None: "True",
}
print(pairs.get('1', "not in dictionary"))
print(pairs.get("orange", "not in dictionary"))

The output is what's expected, and:

print(pairs)

...should output:
{'1':'apple', 'orange': [2, 3, 4], True:False, None: 'True'}