How to use Python ternary operator for conditions?

General Discussions
,
1

In C and many other languages, the ternary operator allows concise conditional assignments like:

var = condition ? something : something_else;

In Python, we often need to write longer conditional assignments, like:

if condition:
    var = something
else:
    var = something_else

Is there a way in Python to use a more concise approach, like a ternary operator, to achieve conditional assignments on a single line?

2

I’ve been coding in Python for years, and this is a handy feature I often use:

Using Python’s Ternary Conditional Expression: Python provides a simple and clean way to handle conditional assignments in a single line:

var = something if condition else something_else

This lets you keep your code concise while maintaining readability. Works great for straightforward conditions!

3

Absolutely agree, Sam! Another interesting approach I’ve found useful is leveraging dictionaries when you have more complex scenarios:

Using a Dictionary for Multiple Conditions: With a dictionary, you can map multiple conditions to specific values for better organization:

var = {True: something, False: something_else}.get(condition, default_value)

This method not only improves readability but also allows you to handle unexpected cases by setting a default value. Super handy when your conditions grow!

4

Couldn’t agree more, Priyanka. Here’s another approach I’ve leaned on for its simplicity, especially with straightforward boolean conditions:

Using and and or: You can combine these operators to create concise conditional assignments:

var = (condition and something) or something_else

This approach works well for binary conditions. However, a word of caution—ensure something isn’t falsy (like 0, None, or ""), as it might cause unexpected behavior. For clean and compact code, it’s a neat trick!