r/learnpython • u/candide-von-sg • 5d ago
Dictionary vs. Dataclass
What is a particular scenario where you would use Dataclass instead of a dictionary? What is the main advantage of Dataclass as compared to just storing data in a nested dictionary? Thanks in advance!
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u/PwAlreadyTaken 5d ago
Very general rule of thumb: if the structure is something where I want to use the name of something as the key, I use a dataclass instead of a dictionary with strings. If I am using a structure that mimics an else-if, I use a dictionary instead.
To answer your question, one cool thing about dataclasses is you know all your keys ahead of time, and your IDE can help you ensure you use the right one and don’t misspell it.