Ever wondered if there is a way to avoid writing those extensive if-else statements? **Switch Case** is a cleaner and faster alternative to if-else conditions in your code. 

Python does not directly support Switch Case *but* it does provide some very useful and efficient workarounds.

# Implementing Switch Case


Python allows us to implement a Switch Case in two notable ways.


## 1. Switch case using a dictionary

The idea behind a dictionary is to store a key-value pair in the memory. 

Let's take an example to better understand the process of creating switches ourselves. 

## Example

Suppose you wish to write a piece of code which returns the season corresponding to a certain input. 

1. You will start off by creating separate functions for each case that you wish to handle.



```Python
def spring():
  return "Spring"
def summer():
  return "Summer"
def autumn():
  return "Autumn"
def winter():
  return "Winter"
def default():
  return "Invalid Season!"
```

>**Note:** Make sure that you handle the default case.

2. The next step is to create the dictionary.


```Python
switch_case = {
  1: spring,
  2: summer,
  3: autumn,
  4: winter
}
```

3. The last step is to simply create a function which will take as input an integer and will automatically invoke the corresponding function after the dictionary lookup. 


```Python
def switch(x):
  return switch_case.get(x, default)()
```

Run the following code to see how all this comes together!

def spring():
  return "It is Spring"
def summer():
  return "It is Summer"
def autumn():
  return "It is Autumn"
def winter():
  return "It is Winter"
def default():
  return "Invalid Season!"

switch_case = {
  1: spring,
  2: summer,
  3: autumn,
  4: winter
}

def switch(x):
  return switch_case.get(x, default)()

print switch(1)
print switch(5)

## 2. Switch Case using a class
Classes may also be used to implement switch case functionality. 

## Example

In continuation with our previous example, we will proceed as follows to effectively create a switch case.

1. Start off by making a Switch class which will have a basic switch function.

```Python
def Switch():
  def switch(self, season):
    default = "Invalid Season!"
    return getattr(self, 'season_' + str(season), lambda:default)()
```

> **Note:**
>
> * `getattr()` in Python is used to invoke a function call.
>
> * The `lambda` keyword in Python is used to define an anonymous function. In case the user gives an invalid input, `lambda` will invoke the default function.  

2. Define separate functions for each case, same as before. 

Execute the following code and see how this would work.

class Switch():
  def switch(self, season):
    default = "Invalid Season!"
    return getattr(self, 'season_' + str(season), lambda:default)()
  
  def season_1(self):
    return "It is Spring"
  def season_2(self):
    return "It is Summer"
  def season_3(self):
    return "It is Autumn"
  def season_4(self):
    return "It is Winter"
  
my_switch = Switch()
print (my_switch.switch(1))
print (my_switch.switch(10))

Use either one of these methods to make your code speedy and neat!

Alternatives to switch case in Python

Python can replace switch-case using dictionaries or classes, providing cleaner alternatives to if-else statements.