? Python Match Statement

⚡ Quick Overview

The match statement was introduced in Python 3.10 and works similarly to switch/case in other languages. It lets you compare (or match) a value against multiple patterns and run different blocks of code depending on which pattern fits.

? Key Concepts

match starts the pattern matching block for a value.
case defines individual patterns to test against that value.
Literal matching compares simple values like strings or numbers.
Multiple patterns can be combined in a single case using |.
Wildcard pattern _ acts like a “default” or “catch-all”.
Structural matching allows matching parts of dictionaries, tuples, or classes.

? Syntax & Theory

Basic structure of a match statement:

match value:
    case pattern_1:
        # code block
    case pattern_2:
        # code block
    case _:
        # default / catch-all block

The interpreter evaluates each case from top to bottom. The first pattern that matches runs its block, and the rest are skipped.

?️ Common Use Cases

Replacing long if-elif-else chains that compare the same variable.
Handling different categories of input (e.g., days, commands, user roles).
Matching structured data, such as coordinates, config dictionaries, or parsed JSON.

? Basic Match Example

Here we match a day name and print a message based on its value.

? View Basic Match Code

# Set the current day
day = "Monday"

# Use match to handle different days
match day:
    case "Monday":
        # Specific case for Monday
        print("Start of the week")
    case "Friday":
        # Specific case for Friday
        print("End of the week")
    case _:
        # All other days fall here
        print("Middle of the week")

? Match with Multiple Patterns

You can group several possible values into a single case using the | operator.

? View Multiple Patterns Code

# Assign a fruit name
fruit = "apple"

# Match multiple possible fruit values
match fruit:
    case "apple" | "banana" | "cherry":
        # Any of these values will match this case
        print("This is a fruit")
    case _:
        # Fallback for anything else
        print("Unknown item")

? Match with Dictionary Patterns

The match statement can also match structured data like dictionaries and extract values into variables.

? View Dictionary Pattern Code

# Define a point as a dictionary
point = {"x": 0, "y": 5}

# Use structural pattern matching to inspect coordinates
match point:
    case {"x": 0, "y": y_val}:
        # x is 0, so the point lies on the Y axis
        print(f"On Y axis at {y_val}")
    case {"x": x_val, "y": 0}:
        # y is 0, so the point lies on the X axis
        print(f"On X axis at {x_val}")
    case _:
        # Any other combination is somewhere else
        print("Somewhere else")

?️ Live Output & Explanation

For the day example, since day = "Monday", the output is: Start of the week.
For the fruit example, fruit = "apple" matches the first case, so it prints: This is a fruit.
For the point example, {"x": 0, "y": 5} matches {"x": 0, "y": y_val}, so y_val becomes 5 and it prints: On Y axis at 5.

If none of the explicit patterns match, the case _: block runs, acting like a default branch.

✅ Tips & Best Practices

Use match to replace long if-elif-else chains comparing the same variable.
Always keep a case _: at the end as a safe catch-all branch.
Group similar values into one case using | (e.g., weekend days or related commands).
Use dictionary or class patterns when dealing with structured data instead of manual key checks.
Remember: match works only in Python 3.10+. Older versions will raise a SyntaxError.
Don’t forget to prefix each pattern with the case keyword.

? Try It Yourself

Write a match statement for a variable day that prints whether it is a weekday or weekend. Group Saturday and Sunday using |.
Create a program that uses match to categorize an item as "fruit", "vegetable", or "unknown".
Define a dictionary point = {"x": 3, "y": 0} and use match to:
- Print if the point lies on the X-axis,
- Print if it lies on the Y-axis,
- Or print that it is somewhere else.