elif — Advanced Examples

Short for 'else if'; adds another condition to an if chain

EasyIntermediateAdvancedExpert

elif vs match (Python 3.10+)

When to use elif vs structural pattern matching.

python
# elif for value ranges
def classify_temp(t):
    if t < 0:
        return "freezing"
    elif t < 20:
        return "cold"
    elif t < 30:
        return "warm"
    else:
        return "hot"

# match for structural patterns
def process_command(cmd):
    match cmd.split():
        case ["quit"]:
            return "Quitting"
        case ["go", direction]:
            return f"Going {direction}"
        case ["pick", "up", item]:
            return f"Picking up {item}"
        case _:
            return f"Unknown: {cmd}"

print(classify_temp(25))
print(process_command("go north"))
print(process_command("pick up sword"))
Expected Output
warm
Going north
Picking up sword

Use elif for simple value/range checks. Use match/case for destructuring complex data structures.

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