What is the Python `match` statement (structural pattern matching, Python 3.10+) and how does it differ from a chain of `if/elif`?

Question

Python Developer — Hard

What is the Python `match` statement (structural pattern matching, Python 3.10+) and how does it differ from a chain of `if/elif`?

Accepted Answer

The Python `match` statement allows for structural pattern matching, evaluating patterns like sequence shapes, mapping keys, class attributes, guards, and OR patterns in a single statement. This differs from `if/elif` which only tests boolean expressions, making `match` semantically richer for complex data dispatch.