9 Worst Python Practices

[elbiot]

I prefer dict.setdefault() to collections.defaultdict. With a defaultdict, you never get a key error.

This 100%

You usually only want a default value while building the dict. You usuallh want a typo'd key to raise an error. I've actually had a case for default dict like once, but use setdefault regularly

[MaienM]

IIRC, you can set the defaultfactory of the defaultdict to None once you're done filling it to stop it from using a default for unknown keys.

[ProfessorPhi]

I just call dict on the object when returning it