Pydantic type_error.dict

A field expected to be a dictionary received a different type.

Understanding and Resolving Pydantic's type_error.dict

Introduction to Pydantic

Pydantic is a data validation and settings management library for Python, leveraging Python's type annotations. It is designed to provide data parsing and validation using Python's type hints, making it easier to ensure that data conforms to expected types and structures. Pydantic is widely used in applications where data integrity is crucial, such as in FastAPI for request validation.

Identifying the Symptom

When working with Pydantic, you might encounter the error code type_error.dict. This error typically manifests when a field that is expected to be a dictionary receives a different data type. The error message might look something like this:

pydantic.error_wrappers.ValidationError: 1 validation error for ModelName
field_name
value is not a valid dict (type=type_error.dict)

Understanding the Issue

The type_error.dict error indicates that Pydantic expected a dictionary for a particular field, but the provided data did not match this expectation. This can occur if the input data is incorrectly structured or if there is a mismatch between the data and the model's type annotations.

Common Causes

  • Incorrect data type: The input data for a field is not a dictionary.
  • Serialization issues: Data might be serialized incorrectly, leading to type mismatches.
  • Model definition errors: The Pydantic model might have incorrect type annotations.

Steps to Fix the Issue

To resolve the type_error.dict, follow these steps:

Step 1: Verify the Input Data

Ensure that the data being passed to the Pydantic model is indeed a dictionary. You can print the data or use a debugger to inspect the type of the input:

print(type(input_data)) # Should output:

Step 2: Check the Model Definition

Review the Pydantic model to confirm that the field in question is correctly annotated as a dictionary. For example:

from pydantic import BaseModel

class MyModel(BaseModel):
field_name: dict

Step 3: Correct the Data Source

If the data source is incorrect, modify it to ensure that it provides a dictionary for the expected field. This might involve adjusting how data is fetched or transformed before being passed to the model.

Step 4: Validate with Test Cases

After making changes, validate the solution by running test cases to ensure that the error is resolved. Consider using unit tests to automate this process.

Additional Resources

For more information on Pydantic and its error handling, consider the following resources:

By following these steps and utilizing the resources provided, you should be able to resolve the type_error.dict and ensure that your Pydantic models are correctly validated.

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