Merging Dictionaries in Python: A Comprehensive Guide

The Power of the | Operator (Python 3.9 and Later)

In Python 3.9 and later versions, the | operator provides a straightforward way to merge dictionaries. This operator combines two dictionaries, overwriting duplicate keys with the values from the second dictionary.

dict_1 = {'a': 1, 'b': 2}
dict_2 = {'b': 3, 'c': 4}
merged_dict = dict_1 | dict_2
print(merged_dict)

Unpacking Dictionaries with the ** Operator

Another approach to merging dictionaries is by using the ** operator to unpack dictionaries. This method works for Python 3.5 and above versions.

dict_1 = {'a': 1, 'b': 2}
dict_2 = {'b': 3, 'c': 4}
merged_dict = {**dict_1, **dict_2}
print(merged_dict)

The Copy and Update Method

If you need more control over the merging process, you can use the dictionary copy() and update() methods. This approach involves creating a copy of one dictionary and then updating it with the values from another dictionary.

dict_1 = {'a': 1, 'b': 2}
dict_2 = {'b': 3, 'c': 4}
dict_3 = dict_2.copy()
dict_3.update(dict_1)
print(dict_3)

By mastering these techniques, you’ll be able to efficiently merge dictionaries in Python and take your programming skills to the next level.