Return first N key:value pairs from dict

Question

Consider the following dictionary, d:

d = {\'a\': 3, \'b\': 2, \'c\': 3, \'d\': 4, \'e\': 5}

I want to return the first N key:value pairs f

Answer 1

See PEP 0265 on sorting dictionaries. Then use the aforementioned iterable code.

If you need more efficiency in the sorted key-value pairs. Use a different data structure. That is, one that maintains sorted order and the key-value associations.

E.g.

import bisect

kvlist = [('a', 1), ('b', 2), ('c', 3), ('e', 5)]
bisect.insort_left(kvlist, ('d', 4))

print kvlist # [('a', 1), ('b', 2), ('c', 3), ('d', 4), ('e', 5)]