Python: Passing Dictionary as Arguments to Function

A dictionary in Python is a collection of data which is unordered and mutable. Unlike, numeric indices used by lists, a dictionary uses the key as an index for a specific value. It can be used to store unrelated data types but data that is related as a real-world entity. The keys themselves are employed for using a specific value.

Refer to the below article to get the idea about Python Dictionary.

• Python Dictionary

Passing Dictionary as an argument

In Python, everything is an object, so the dictionary can be passed as an argument to a function like other variables are passed.

Example:

# Python program to demonstrate
# passing dictionary as argument


# A function that takes dictionary
# as an argument
def func(d):

    for key in d:
        print("key:", key, "Value:", d[key])

# Driver's code
D = {'a':1, 'b':2, 'c':3}
func(D)

Output:

key: b Value: 2
key: a Value: 1
key: c Value: 3

Passing Dictionary as kwargs

“kwargs” stands for keyword arguments. It is used for passing advanced data objects like dictionaries to a function because in such functions one doesn’t have a clue about the number of arguments, hence data passed is be dealt properly by adding “**” to the passing type.

Example 1:

# Python program to demonstrate
# passing dictionary as kwargs


def display(**name):

    print (name["fname"]+" "+name["mname"]+" "+name["lname"])

def main():

    # passing dictionary key-value
    # pair as arguments
    display(fname ="John",
            mname ="F.",
            lname ="Kennedy")
# Driver's code
main()

Output:

John F. Kennedy

Example 2:

# Python program to demonstrate
# passing dictionary as kwargs


def display(x = 0, y = 0, **name):

    print (name["fname"]+" "+name["mname"]+" "+name["lname"])
    print ("x =", x)
    print ("y =", y)

def main():
    # passing dictionary key-value
    # pair with other arguments
    display(2, fname ="John", mname ="F.", lname ="Kennedy")

# Driver's code
main()

Output:

John F. Kennedy
x = 2
y = 0