Python's match/case Statements: The Equivalent of Switch Statements

Starting in Python 3.10, you can use match/case to write cleaner, more expressive conditional logic. It's Python's take on pattern matching - similar to a switch statement in other languages, but more powerful.

Traditional if/elif/else blocks can get repetitive when you’re checking a single value:

def http_status(code):
    if code == 200:
        return "OK"
    elif code == 404:
        return "Not Found"
    elif code == 500:
        return "Server Error"
    else:
        return "Unknown"

With match/case, this becomes more readable and concise:

def http_status(code):
    match code:
        case 200:
            return "OK"
        case 404:
            return "Not Found"
        case 500:
            return "Server Error"
        case _:
            return "Unknown"

The advantage: You can clearly see the structure and intent without repeating code each time.

When to use match/case over if/else

Use match/case when:

• You're checking one variable against many known values

• Readability matters (especially with longer condition lists)

• You're using Python 3.10 or higher

Otherwise, stick to if/else:

• You need complex conditions (x > 5 and y < 10)

• You need to support Python versions earlier than 3.10

Pattern matching opens up even more powerful use cases (like destructuring and matching types), but even for basic branching, it’s a strong alternative to traditional conditionals.

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