Best method to delete an item from a dict [closed]

Question

In Python there are at least two methods to delete an item from a dict using a key.

d = {"keyA": 123, "keyB": 456, "keyC": 789}  #remove via pop d.pop("keyA")  #remove via del del d["keyB"] 

Both methods would remove the item from the dict.

I wonder what the difference between these methods is and in what kinds of situations I should use one or the other.

Answer 1

• Use d.pop if you want to capture the removed item, like in item = d.pop("keyA").

• Use del if you want to delete an item from a dictionary.

• If you want to delete, suppressing an error if the key isn't in the dictionary: if thekey in thedict: del thedict[thekey]

Answer 2

pop returns the value of deleted key.
Basically, d.pop(key) evaluates as x = d[key]; del d[key]; return x.

• Use pop when you need to know the value of deleted key
• Use del otherwise