What is the match-case statement used for in Python?

The match-case statement in Python is used for matching specific patterns in values, providing a way to perform pattern matching. Introduced in Python 3.10, it allows you to compare a value against several patterns and execute the corresponding block of code for the first pattern that matches.

def http_status(status):
    match status:
        case 200:
            return "OK"
        case 404:
            return "Not Found"
        case _:
            return "Unknown status"

In this example, the match-case statement checks the value of status and returns a corresponding message based on the matched case. The underscore (_) acts as a wildcard, matching any value that doesn’t match any of the other cases.

The match-case statement is a powerful tool for simplifying complex conditional logic, particularly when dealing with multiple potential values or patterns. It enhances code readability and maintainability by allowing you to express different cases in a clear and concise way.