wonderbeyond
8/28/2015 - 3:05 AM

Update a nested dictionary deeply

Update a nested dictionary deeply

import collections


def deep_update(source, overrides):
    """Update a nested dictionary or similar mapping.

    Modify ``source`` in place.
    """
    for key, value in overrides.iteritems():
        if isinstance(value, collections.Mapping) and value:
            returned = deep_update(source.get(key, {}), value)
            source[key] = returned
        else:
            source[key] = overrides[key]
    return source


if __name__ == '__main__':
    source = {'hello1': 1}
    overrides = {'hello2': 2}
    deep_update(source, overrides)
    assert source == {'hello1': 1, 'hello2': 2}

    source = {'hello': 'to_override'}
    overrides = {'hello': 'over'}
    deep_update(source, overrides)
    assert source == {'hello': 'over'}

    source = {'hello': {'value': 'to_override', 'no_change': 1}}
    overrides = {'hello': {'value': 'over'}}
    deep_update(source, overrides)
    assert source == {'hello': {'value': 'over', 'no_change': 1}}

    source = {'hello': {'value': 'to_override', 'no_change': 1}}
    overrides = {'hello': {'value': {}}}
    deep_update(source, overrides)
    assert source == {'hello': {'value': {}, 'no_change': 1}}

    source = {'hello': {'value': {}, 'no_change': 1}}
    overrides = {'hello': {'value': 2}}
    deep_update(source, overrides)
    assert source == {'hello': {'value': 2, 'no_change': 1}}

    source = {}
    overrides = {'hello': {'value': 2}}
    deep_update(source, overrides)
    assert source == {'hello': {'value': 2}}