Python – How to Print Dictionary without Brackets

The dictionary data structure in Python allows to the storage of key-value pairs efficiently. However, when it comes to printing a dictionary, the default output format might not always be suitable for your needs.

In this article, we will discuss how to print a dictionary without brackets in Python, using different techniques to customize the output according to your requirements.

Before diving into the various methods to print a dictionary without brackets, it’s essential to understand how dictionaries work in Python and the default way to print them.

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Printing a Dictionary in Python

Here we will discuss various methods to print the values:

Default Printing Method

When you print a dictionary in Python, it is displayed with curly braces and the key-value pairs are enclosed in single or double quotes, depending on the type of keys and values. For example:

my_dict = {'apple': 1, 'banana': 2, 'orange': 3}
print(my_dict)

Output:

{'apple': 1, 'banana': 2, 'orange': 3}

my_dict = {'apple': 1, 'banana': 2, 'orange': 3}
for key, value in my_dict.items():
    print(f'{key}: {value}')

apple: 1
banana: 2
orange: 3

Using the join() Function

Another way to print a dictionary without brackets is by using the join() function. You can use this method to convert the dictionary items into a formatted string, which can then be printed:

my_dict = {'apple': 1, 'banana': 2, 'orange': 3}
formatted_dict = ', '.join(f'{key}: {value}' for key, value in my_dict.items())
print(formatted_dict)

Output:

apple: 1, banana: 2, orange: 3

Removing the Brackets from Dictionary Output

Lets have a look on various methods to remove brackets from the output values:

Printing Key-Value Pairs Without Brackets

If you want to print the key-value pairs of a dictionary without brackets, you can use the following code snippet:

my_dict = {'apple': 1, 'banana': 2, 'orange': 3}
formatted_dict = ', '.join(f'{key}: {value}' for key, value in my_dict.items())
print(formatted_dict)

Output:

apple: 1, banana: 2, orange: 3

Printing Keys Without Brackets

To print only the keys of a dictionary without brackets, use this code snippet:

my_dict = {'apple': 1, 'banana': 2, 'orange': 3}
formatted_keys = ', '.join(my_dict.keys())
print(formatted_keys)

Output:

apple, banana, orange

Printing Values Without Brackets

Similarly, to print only the values of a dictionary without brackets, use the following code:

my_dict = {'apple': 1, 'banana': 2, 'orange': 3}
formatted_values = ', '.join(str(value) for value in my_dict.values())
print(formatted_values)

Output:

1, 2, 3

Customizing the Output Format

Changing the Separator

You can change the separator between the dictionary elements by modifying the string passed to the join() function. For example, to separate the elements with a semicolon, use this code snippet:

my_dict = {'apple': 1, 'banana': 2, 'orange': 3}
formatted_dict = '; '.join(f'{key}: {value}' for key, value in my_dict.items())
print(formatted_dict)

Output:

apple: 1; banana: 2; orange: 3

my_dict = {'apple': 1, 'banana': 2, 'orange': 3}
formatted_dict = ', '.join(f'({key}, {value})' for key, value in my_dict.items())
print(formatted_dict)

(apple, 1), (banana, 2), (orange, 3)

Using a Custom Function

You can create a custom function to print a dictionary without brackets, allowing for greater flexibility and reusability in your code. Here’s an example:

def print_dict_without_brackets(dictionary, separator=', '):
    formatted_dict = separator.join(f'{key}: {value}' for key, value in dictionary.items())
    print(formatted_dict)

my_dict = {'apple': 1, 'banana': 2, 'orange': 3}
print_dict_without_brackets(my_dict)

Output:

apple: 1, banana: 2, orange: 3

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed different methods to print a dictionary without brackets in Python, including using for loops, the join() function, and customizing the output format.

These techniques allow you to create more readable and appealing dictionary outputs, tailored to your specific needs.