How does the performance of Counter in Python compare to other data structures?

How does the performance of Counter in Python compare to other data structures?

The Counter class in Python is optimized for counting hashable objects. It is generally faster than using a dictionary for counting because it is specifically designed for that purpose.

Can you provide a comparison with lists and dictionaries?

Sure! Lists are slower for counting occurrences since you would need to iterate through the list multiple times. Dictionaries are faster than lists but still not as optimized as Counter.

What about memory usage? Is Counter more efficient?

Counter can be more memory efficient than dictionaries when counting large datasets, as it only stores the counts of unique items.

Are there any scenarios where I shouldn't use Counter?

Yes, if you need to maintain the order of elements or if you're working with unhashable types, a different data structure might be more appropriate.