Working with dictionaries

Managing structured data with key-value pairs.

Module overview

In this module, you'll learn how to manage structured data with key-value pairs using dictionaries in Jinja. The video guides you through defining, accessing, and modifying dictionaries to represent real-world objects like users, tickets, or devices—empowering you to organize and manipulate data effectively in your automation workflows.

Video (3:39 minutes)

Why it matters

• Dictionaries store data in key-value pairs, making it easier to organize and retrieve structured information.

• They are commonly used to represent real-world objects like users, tickets, or devices.

Basic dictionary operations

• Defining dictionaries – Enclose key-value pairs within curly braces { }.

• Accessing values – Use keys to retrieve specific values from a dictionary.

Accessing dictionary values

• Dot notation (dictionary.key) – Works in most cases but can fail with keys containing special characters or spaces.

• Bracket notation (dictionary["key"]) – A more reliable method when handling keys that aren’t Jinja-friendly.

Modifying dictionaries

• Updating values – Use the update() function to add or change key-value pairs.

• Removing keys – Use pop() or remove() to delete specific entries from a dictionary.

Iterating through dictionaries

For loops with key-value pairs – Utilize two temporary variables to loop through both keys and values efficiently.

The impact

• Enables structured data management in automation workflows.

• Prevents errors by offering flexible methods to access and modify data.

• Improves efficiency when handling complex data sets, such as user profiles or ticket details.

By mastering dictionaries in Jinja, you'll transform your ability to work with structured data—ensuring your automation workflows are both robust and intelligently organized.