Update the "switch or case statement" section of the Design & History FAQ

[RH-TLagrone]

Documentation

The section Why isn't there a switch or case statement in Python? of the Design and History FAQ is out-of-date. Python has had the match statement since 3.10.

I propose updating Why isn't there a switch or case statement in Python? to read:

Starting in Python 3.10, there is!

The match statement is used for pattern matching:

def http_error(status):
    match status:
        case 400:
            return "Bad request"
        case 404:
            return "Not found"
        case 418:
            return "I'm a teapot"
        case _:
            return "Something's wrong with the Internet"

See PEP 634 and PEP 636 for more information.

This proposed content emulates Why can’t I use an assignment in an expression? (another section in the same document), which I believe is an effective (and already-established) template for addressing a similar issue.

[pochmann3]

The section [...] is out-of-date. Python has had the match statement since 3.10.

Hmm? The section already does mention the match statement.

And note the already existing issue #111307

[carljm]

I think there's a reasonable discussion to be had about whether the match statement should be more prominently featured in that section than a one-sentence aside, but it seems like that discussion is already happening on #111307; this issue is a duplicate.

[terryjreedy]

My PR #115899 for #111307 has been merged.