How can I improve the performance of the Counter class in Python's collections module?

How can I improve the performance of the Counter class in Python's collections module?

To improve performance, consider using a defaultdict for counting if you don't need all the features of Counter.

What are the main differences between Counter and defaultdict?

Counter is specifically designed for counting hashable objects, while defaultdict allows for default values for missing keys.

Are there any specific use cases where Counter outperforms defaultdict?

Yes, Counter is optimized for counting and provides additional methods like most_common, which can be very useful.

Can I use Counter with large datasets efficiently?

Yes, but for very large datasets, consider using libraries like pandas or NumPy for better performance.