Python Naming Conventions for Dictionaries/Maps/Hashes

Question

While other questions have tackled the broader category of sequences and modules, I ask this very specific question:

"What naming convention do you use for dictionaries and why?"

Some naming convention samples I have been considering:

# 'value' is the data type stored in the map, while 'key' is the type of key
value_for_key={key1:value1, key2,value2}
value_key={key1:value1, key2,value2}
v_value_k_key={key1:value1, key2,value2}

Don't bother answering the 'why' with "because my work tells me to", not very helpful. The reason driving the choice is more important. Are there any other good considerations for a dictionary naming convention aside from readability?

EDIT:

Chosen answer: value_key_map

Reason for chosen answer: Allows a code reviewer to quickly and easily figure out the key and value for a map, and the fact that it is a map without looking anywhere else.

Answer 1

I usually use <something>map since it's usually a map such as strings to functions, or numbers to classes, or whatnot. Unnamed dicts usually end up in a larger structure, so I don't worry about them.

Answer 2

I never seem to name them anything like what you proposed (i.e. keeping one way). It just seems to be much more clear when I can find a "proper name" for the hash. It might be "person_details" or "file_sizes" or "album_tracks" etc. (although the last 2 seem to have key_value names, first one a bit less). In rare cases, it will be value_key_map if it's important that it's a map.

I would never assume any naming scheme for that. Sometimes the values are what you're after, sometimes the keys. My preference is "a natural name".

Answer 3

I think it makes sense to name the dict after the values in the dict, and drop any mention of the key. After all, you are going to be using the dict in situations like values[key] which makes it perfectly clear what the keys are, assuming you named key well.