Dictionary Performance Tips

May 30, 2026 | 5 min read

Pre-size When Possible

d = {}  # grows dynamically
# vs
d = dict.fromkeys(range(1000))

Use Local Variable for Methods

get = d.get
for key in keys:
    val = get(key)

Avoid Deletion in Hot Loops

for k in to_remove:
    del d[k]  # slower than batch