elif — Expert Examples

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

EasyIntermediateAdvancedExpert

elif bytecode: sequential testing

How elif compiles to chained jumps.

python
import dis

def grade(score):
    if score >= 90:
        return "A"
    elif score >= 80:
        return "B"
    elif score >= 70:
        return "C"
    else:
        return "F"

dis.dis(grade)

# Each elif compiles to:
# COMPARE_OP, POP_JUMP_IF_FALSE -> next elif
# There is NO optimization to a jump table
# Each condition is tested sequentially

elif compiles to a chain of compare + conditional jump instructions. Unlike switch/case in C, there is no jump table — each condition is evaluated one by one until a match is found.

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