Python Dictionary keys() Method

The Dictionary keys() method returns a list of keys from a dictionary.

Syntax

my_dictionary.keys()

keys() Parameters

Python Dictionary keys() method does not take any parameters.

keys() Return Value

Python Dictionary keys() method returns a view object that displays the list of all the keys.

Examples

Example 1: Get all keys of a dictionary

For example, let's print all the keys of the dictionary:

my_dict = {'name': 'Tom', 'age': 25}
print(my_dict.keys()) # Output: dict_keys(['name', 'age'])

output

dict_keys(['name', 'age'])

Example 2: Iterate through keys of a dictionary using keys()

The keys() method is generally used to iterate through all the keys from a dictionary.

For example, let's iterate through keys of a dictionary:

my_dict = {'name': 'Tom', 'age': 25}
for x in my_dict.keys():
    print(x)

output

name
age

Example 3: keys() returns a View Object (Reflecting Changes to the Dictionary)

The object returned by keys() is a view object.

It provides a dynamic view on the dictionary's entries: this means that when the dictionary changes, the view reflects these changes.

For example, when an item is deleted from the dictionary, the view object automatically updates to reflect the change:

my_dict = {'name': 'Tom', 'age': 25}

view_obj = my_dict.keys()

print(view_obj) # Output: dict_keys(['name', 'age'])

del my_dict['age']

print(view_obj) # Output: dict_keys(['name'])

output

dict_keys(['name', 'age'])
dict_keys(['name'])

The same happens when an item is modified in the dictionary:

my_dict = {'name': 'Tom', 'age': 25}

view_obj = my_dict.keys()

print(view_obj) # Output: dict_keys(['name', 'age'])

my_dict['job'] = 'Developer'

print(view_obj) # Output: dict_keys(['name', 'age', 'job'])

output

dict_keys(['name', 'age'])
dict_keys(['name', 'age', 'job'])