Into which type of Python data structure should common data formats be parsed?

A sequence is a general category in Python (covering lists and tuples), not a specific data structure, and does not capture key-value relationships found in common data formats.

A set stores only unique, unordered, hashable items with no associated values, making it unsuitable for structured data that requires named field access.

A dictionary maps keys to values, which directly mirrors the structure of common data interchange formats like JSON objects, XML elements with attributes, and YAML mappings. Parsing into a dictionary allows programmatic access to fields by name, making it the idiomatic Python choice for working with structured API responses and configuration data.

A list preserves order and allows duplicates but uses integer indices rather than named keys, so it cannot naturally represent the key-value pairs inherent in formats like JSON.