Python '!=' Is Not 'is not': Comparing Objects in Python

Comparing Identity With the Python is and is not Operators

The Python is and is not operators compare the identity of two objects. In CPython, this is their memory address. Everything in Python is an object, and each object is stored at a specific memory location. The Python is and is not operators check whether two variables refer to the same object in memory.

You can use id() to check the identity of an object:

>>> help(id)
Help on built-in function id in module builtins:

id(obj, /)
    Return the identity of an object.

    This is guaranteed to be unique among simultaneously existing objects.
    (CPython uses the object's memory address.)

>>> id(id)
2570892442576

The last line shows the memory address where the built-in function id itself is stored.

There are some common cases where objects with the same value will have the same id by default. For example, the numbers -5 to 256 are interned in CPython. Each number is stored at a singular and fixed place in memory, which saves memory for commonly-used integers.

You can use sys.intern() to intern strings for performance. This function allows you to compare their memory addresses rather than comparing the strings character-by-character:

>>> from sys import intern
>>> a = 'hello world'
>>> b = 'hello world'
>>> a is b
False
>>> id(a)
1603648396784
>>> id(b)
1603648426160

>>> a = intern(a)
>>> b = intern(b)
>>> a is b
True
>>> id(a)
1603648396784
>>> id(b)
1603648396784

The variables a and b initially point to two different objects in memory, as shown by their different IDs. When you intern them, you ensure that a and b point to the same object in memory. Any new string with the value 'hello world' will now be created at a new memory location, but when you intern this new string, you make sure that it points to the same memory address as the first 'hello world' that you interned.

Other objects that are interned by default are None, True, False, and simple strings. Keep in mind that most of the time, different objects with the same value will be stored at separate memory addresses. This means you should not use the Python is operator to compare values.

>>> a = 256
>>> b = 256
>>> a is b
True
>>> id(a)
1638894624
>>> id(b)
1638894624

>>> a = 257
>>> b = 257
>>> a is b
False

>>> id(a)
2570926051952
>>> id(b)
2570926051984

>>> a = [1, 2, 3]
>>> b = a
>>> a
[1, 2, 3]
>>> b
[1, 2, 3]

>>> a.append(4)
>>> a
[1, 2, 3, 4]
>>> b
[1, 2, 3, 4]

>>> id(a)
2570926056520
>>> id(b)
2570926056520

>>> a = [1, 2, 3]
>>> b = [1, 2, 3]
>>> a is b
False
>>> id(a)
2356388925576
>>> id(b)
2356388952648

Comparing Equality With the Python == and != Operators

Recall that objects with the same value are often stored at separate memory addresses. Use the equality operators == and != if you want to check whether or not two objects have the same value, regardless of where they’re stored in memory. In the vast majority of cases, this is what you want to do.

>>> a = [1, 2, 3]
>>> b = a.copy()
>>> a
[1, 2, 3]
>>> b
[1, 2, 3]

>>> a == b
True
>>> a is b
False

>>> id(a)
2570926058312
>>> id(b)
2570926057736

class SillyString(str):
    # This method gets called when using == on the object
    def __eq__(self, other):
        print(f'comparing {self} to {other}')
        # Return True if self and other have the same length
        return len(self) == len(other)    

>>> # Compare two strings
>>> 'hello world' == 'world hello'
False

>>> # Compare a string with a SillyString
>>> 'hello world' == SillyString('world hello')
comparing world hello to hello world
True

>>> # Compare a SillyString with a list
>>> SillyString('hello world') == [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]
comparing hello world to [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]
True

Comparing the Python Comparison Operators

As a rule of thumb, you should always use the equality operators == and !=, except when you’re comparing to None:

• Use the Python == and != operators to compare object equality. Here, you’re generally comparing the value of two objects. This is what you need if you want to compare whether or not two objects have the same contents, and you don’t care about where they’re stored in memory.

• Use the Python is and is not operators when you want to compare object identity. Here, you’re comparing whether or not two variables point to the same object in memory. The main use case for these operators is when you’re comparing to None. It’s faster and safer to compare to None by memory address than it is by using class methods.

Variables with the same value are often stored at separate memory addresses. This means that you should use == and != to compare their values and use the Python is and is not operators only when you want to check whether two variables point to the same memory address.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you’ve learned that == and != compare the value of two objects, whereas the Python is and is not operators compare whether two variables refer to the same object in memory. If you keep this distinction in mind, then you should be able to prevent unexpected behavior in your code.

If you want to read more about the wonderful world of object interning and the Python is operator, then check out Why you should almost never use “is” in Python. You could also have a look at how you can use sys.intern() to optimize memory usage and comparison times for strings, although the chances are that Python already automatically handles this for you behind-the-scenes.

Now that you’ve learned what the equality and identity operators do under the hood, you can try writing your own __eq__() class methods, which define how instances of this class are compared when using the == operator. Go and apply your newfound knowledge of these Python comparison operators!