Reduce Too Many if-elif in Python

Mar 14, 2022 · 1 min read

if-elif statements are one of the used features of Python. However, they can become hard to read when the number of elif statements increase. Let’s consider the following code for a game:

# Assume run(), stop(), shoot(), guard() methods are defined

command = input()

if command == "run"
    run()
elif command == "stop"
    stop()
elif command == "shoot"
    shoot()
elif command == "guard"
    guard()
...
...
...

There are multiple actions that our protagonist can do. Additionally, the game devs are planning to add more actions for the protagonist. Soon this action list will become big and hard to read.

We can simplify these conditionals using a dictionary. Here’s how:

command_dict = {
    "run": run,
    "stop": stop,
    "shoot": shoot,
    "guard": guard,
}

command = input()
command_dict[command]

The code is now shortened by a great deal. It is also more readable and easier to modify now.

If the functions need to receive paramaters then modify the above code to

command_dict = {
    "run": run,
    "stop": stop,
    "shoot": shoot,
    "guard": guard,
}

command = input()
x = input()
command_dict[command](x)

And that’s it! You now have a more readable and maintainable if-elif system in your code.