Python arguments as a dictionary

Question

How can I get argument names and their values passed to a method as a dictionary?

I want to specify the optional and required parameters for a GET request as part of a HTTP API in order to build the URL. I'm not sure of the best way to make this pythonic.

Post some code to illustrate, this could mean several things (or perhaps just two). — Rob Wouters
– Rob Wouters, Commented Jan 21, 2012 at 16:50
possible duplicate of Can you list the keyword arguments a Python function receives? — Marcin
– Marcin, Commented Jan 21, 2012 at 17:06
"I’m wanting to wanting to specify the optional and required parameters for a GET request"? Can you expand on this? It makes very little sense. — S.Lott
– S.Lott, Commented Jan 21, 2012 at 17:41
possible duplicate of Get a list/tuple/dict of the arguments passed to a function? — outis
– outis, Commented Jan 21, 2012 at 18:45

Fred Foo · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-21 16:50:19Z

67

Use a single argument prefixed with **.

>>> def foo(**args):
...     print(args)
...
>>> foo(a=1, b=2)
{'a': 1, 'b': 2}

answered Jan 21, 2012 at 16:50

Fred Foo

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3 Comments

jdi Over a year ago

And just to add, a single * is used to accept an unnamed amount of non keyword args as a list: *args

Fred Foo Over a year ago

@Marcin: Well, maybe I give away code too easily, but this is the kind of construct that I personally always find hard to search for when learning a language.

Vanuan Over a year ago

What if I still want the possible keyword arguments (and defaults) to be provided in the function's definition?

Michael Dillon · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-22 01:02:04Z

54

For non-keyworded arguments, use a single *, and for keyworded arguments, use a **.

For example:

def test(*args, **kwargs):
    print args
    print kwargs

>>test(1, 2, a=3, b=4)
(1, 2)
{'a': 3, 'b': 4}

Non-keyworded arguments would be unpacked to a tuple and keyworded arguments would be unpacked to a dictionary. Unpacking Argument Lists

edited Jan 22, 2012 at 1:02

Michael Dillon

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answered Jan 21, 2012 at 17:19

Bhargav Mangipudi

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1 Comment

Makoto Over a year ago

The result would be: (1, 2) {'a': 3, 'b': 4}.

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