Append a dictionary to a dictionary

Appending one dictionary to another in Python is commonly done when you want to combine or update key-value pairs. While Python dictionaries don’t have a direct “append” method like lists, you can merge them using a few simple approaches.

 Method 1: Using update()

This is the most straightforward way:

dict1 = {'a': 1, 'b': 2}

dict2 = {'c': 3, 'd': 4}

dict1.update(dict2)

print(dict1)  # {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c': 3, 'd': 4}

• update() adds all key-value pairs from dict2 to dict1.
  
• If any keys are the same, the values in dict1 will be overwritten.
  

 Method 2: Using ** Unpacking (Python 3.5+)

A more modern and clean approach:

combined = {**dict1, **dict2}

print(combined)  # {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c': 3, 'd': 4}

• This creates a new dictionary without modifying the originals.
  
• Also handles key overwriting if duplicates exist.
  

 Method 3: Using a Loop (if more control is needed)

for key, value in dict2.items():

    dict1[key] = value

Useful if you want to apply some condition before adding values.

 Tips:

• Be careful with overlapping keys—values will be overwritten.
  
• Use update() when you’re okay modifying the original dictionary.
  
• Use unpacking (**) if you prefer to keep the originals intact.
  

Combining dictionaries in Python is super easy—and knowing multiple ways helps you choose what fits best for your code!