Python String format_map() Method

2 minutes read
python string methods

By Lenin Mishra

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Difference between format() and format_map() in Python

The format_map() method is similar to format() method in Python., except that it only accepts a dictionary as input.

Learn more about Python String format() method.

Syntax of format_map() method

string.format_map(mapping)

mapping: The Input dictionary
Example 1

Code

s = '{name} lives in {country}'

my_dict = {'name': 'Pylenin', 'country': 'India'}

# Using format_map() method
print(s.format_map(my_dict))

# Using format() method
print(s.format(**my_dict))

Output

Pylenin lives in India
Pylenin lives in India
Example 2 - If mapping has more keys

If mapping dictionary has more keys, then only the necessary keys are used for string formatting.

Code

s = '{name} lives in {country}'

my_dict = {'name': 'Pylenin',
           'country': 'India',
           'language': 'Python'}

# Using format_map() method
print(s.format_map(my_dict))

# Using format() method
print(s.format(**my_dict))

Output

Pylenin lives in India
Pylenin lives in India
Example 3 - If mapping has missing keys

If mapping dictionary has missing keys, both format() and format_map() will throw a KeyError.

Code

s = '{name} lives in {country}'

my_dict = {'name': 'Pylenin',
           'country': 'India',
           'language': 'Python'}

# Using format_map() method
print(s.format_map(my_dict))

# Using format() method
print(s.format(**my_dict))

Output

# format_map()
KeyError: 'country'

# format()
KeyError: 'country'
Advantage of format_map() over format()

With the format_map() method, you can avoid such KeyError issues by working with a dict subclass.

Let’s look at the below example.

Code

class PyleninDict(dict):
    def __missing__(self, key):
        return '{}'

s = '{name} is born in {country}'
my_dict = PyleninDict(name='Pylenin')
print(s.format_map(my_dict))

Output

Pylenin is born in {}

As you can see, we didn’t receive a KeyError anymore. The __missing__ function was called and format_map() was able to handle the missing key.

The above doesn’t work for format() method

Code

class PyleninDict(dict):
    def __missing__(self, key):
        return '{}'

s = '{name} is born in {country}'
my_dict = PyleninDict(name='Pylenin')

# Using format() instead of format_map()
print(s.format(**my_dict))

Output

KeyError: 'country'

Check out other commonly used Python string methods.

  1. How to create a string in Python?
  2. How to access characters in a Python string?
  3. How to replace characters in a string in Python?
  4. How to concatenate strings in Python?
  5. How to iterate through a string in Python?
  6. Check if a Substring is Present in a Given String in Python
  7. Escape sequences in Python String
  8. Python String Formatting - The Definitive Guide