dict.get() - default arg evaluated even upon success

Question

Why is the default in dict.get(key[, default]) evaluated even if the key is in the dictionary?

>>> key = \'foo\'
>>> a={}
>>> b={k         


        

Answer 1

use this instead

x = b.get(key) or a.get(key)

or and and are short circuit operators, so if b has the key it won't look at a. But problems will arise if you have falsy values in b. If that is the case you can do:

x = b[key] if key in b else a.get(key)