# Behavior of ImmutableDict
**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/behavior-of-immutabledict/56107
**Category:** General Usage
**Created:** [February 26, 2021, 6:11pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/behavior-of-immutabledict/56107 "2021-02-26T18:11:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@anon60034542](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/anon60034542)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2021, 6:11pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/behavior-of-immutabledict/56107/1 "2021-02-26T18:11:47Z")
Can anyone explain why `ImmutableDict` works the way it does?
I can’t specify the type when declaring it:
```julia
# Produces MethodError.
weapons = ImmutableDict{String,Int32}("Light-Rifle" => 100, "Plasma-Pistol" => 50)
```
I can’t pass in an array of pairs:
```julia
weapon_pairs = Pair{String,Int32}[("Light-Rifle" => 100),("Plasma Pistol" => 50)]
# Produces MethodError.
weapons = ImmutableDict(weapon_pairs)
```
It’s considered an `AbstractDict`:
```julia
println(isa(weapons,AbstractDict)) # true
```
Why can’t I specify the `KV` types or pass in an array of pairs?
---
### Author:  [@giordano](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/giordano)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/behavior-of-immutabledict/56107/2 "2021-02-26T19:10:50Z")
`ImmutableDict` has a limited and convoluted way to add elements:
```julia
julia> import Base: ImmutableDict
julia> weapons = ImmutableDict{String,Int32}("Light-Rifle", 100)
ImmutableDict{String, Int32} with 1 entry:
"Light-Rifle" => 100
julia> weapons = ImmutableDict{String,Int32}(weapons, "Plasma Pistol", 50)
ImmutableDict{String, Int32} with 2 entries:
"Plasma Pistol" => 50
"Light-Rifle" => 100
```
Probably there are very few users of this type (it isn’t even exported) that no one got around making its usage more comfortable
---
### Author:  [@anon60034542](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/anon60034542)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2021, 8:11pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/behavior-of-immutabledict/56107/3 "2021-02-26T20:11:09Z")
The funny part is that it’s in the documentation, so I decided to try it out for myself.
When you say hasn’t been exported, you mean, I can’t use it naturally, I have to `import` from `Base` before using, correct?
---
### Author:  [@kristoffer.carlsson](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/kristoffer.carlsson)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2021, 8:47pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/behavior-of-immutabledict/56107/4 "2021-02-26T20:47:24Z")
I don’t think `ImmutableDict` is intended to be used outside of Base. Where did you find out about it?
---
### Author:  [@giordano](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/giordano)
#### Post date: [February 26, 2021, 11:59pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/behavior-of-immutabledict/56107/5 "2021-02-26T23:59:29Z")
(I use it outside of `Base` 👀 well, I reimplemented it to not do type piracy)