match / case

match compares one value against several patterns, which is cleaner than a long elif chain:

match command:
    case "start":
        print("Go!")
    case "stop" | "quit":   # | means "or"
        print("Bye")
    case _:                  # _ matches anything else
        print("Unknown")

See it run

shape = "square"
match shape:
    case "circle":
        sides = 0
    case "square" | "rectangle":
        sides = 4
    case _:
        sides = -1
print(sides)

match compares one value against each case from the top and runs the first that fits.

Practice match / case

Exercise 1

Using day in the editor below and match, set kind to "weekend" when day is "sat" or "sun", and "weekday" otherwise.

Exercise 2

A music player reads command = "pause". Use match to set action: "play" → "Playing", "pause" or "stop" → "Stopped", anything else → "Unknown".

Exercise 3

A desk dispatches request = "renew" and member = False. Use match: "borrow" or "renew" sets reply to "Approved" for members, otherwise "Join first"; "return" always gives "Thank you"; anything else gives "Ask staff".

Free lesson: use the editor to practice it.

Practice

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Memory · names → values

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Output & plots