PythonMatch
Thematch statement is used to perform different actions based on different conditions.
The Python Match Statement
Instead of writingmanyif..else statements, you can use thematch statement.
Thematch statement selects one of many code blocks to be executed.
Syntax
matchexpression:
case x:
code block
case y:
code block
case z:
code block
case x:
code block
case y:
code block
case z:
code block
This is how it works:
- The
matchexpression is evaluated once. - The value of the expression is compared with the values of each
case. - If there is a match, the associated block of code is executed.
The example below uses the weekday number to print the weekday name:
Example
day = 4
match day:
case 1:
print("Monday")
case 2:
print("Tuesday")
case 3:
print("Wednesday")
case 4:
print("Thursday")
case 5:
print("Friday")
case 6:
print("Saturday")
case 7:
print("Sunday")
Try it Yourself »match day:
case 1:
print("Monday")
case 2:
print("Tuesday")
case 3:
print("Wednesday")
case 4:
print("Thursday")
case 5:
print("Friday")
case 6:
print("Saturday")
case 7:
print("Sunday")
Default Value
Use the underscore character_ as the last case value if you want a code block to execute when there are not other matches:
Example
day = 4
match day:
case 6:
print("Today is Saturday")
case 7:
print("Today is Sunday")
case _:
print("Looking forward to the Weekend")
Try it Yourself »match day:
case 6:
print("Today is Saturday")
case 7:
print("Today is Sunday")
case _:
print("Looking forward to the Weekend")
The value_ will always match, so it is important to place it as thelastcase to make it behave as a defaultcase.
Combine Values
Use the pipe character| as an or operator in thecase evaluation to check for more than one value match in onecase:
Example
day = 4
match day:
case 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5:
print("Today is a weekday")
case 6 | 7:
print("I love weekends!")
Try it Yourself »match day:
case 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5:
print("Today is a weekday")
case 6 | 7:
print("I love weekends!")
If Statements as Guards
You can addif statements in the case evaluation as an extra condition-check:
Example
month = 5
day = 4
match day:
case 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 if month == 4:
print("A weekday in April")
case 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 if month == 5:
print("A weekday in May")
case _:
print("No match")
Try it Yourself »day = 4
match day:
case 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 if month == 4:
print("A weekday in April")
case 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 if month == 5:
print("A weekday in May")
case _:
print("No match")
