Equality (Python)

Definition

Equality in Python refers to whether two variables contain equivalent values, evaluated using the == operator.

Why It Matters

It is the standard comparison method used to check if the data values of two objects match.

Core Concepts

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

# Equality (Value comparison)
print(a == b)  # True

# Identity (Memory address comparison)
print(a is b)  # False (different objects in memory)

• Equality (==): Asks, “Are the values inside these objects the same?” (e.g., [1, 2] == [1, 2] is True).
• id() Function: Returns the unique integer identifier (memory address) of an object. If id(a) == id(b), then a is b.

Connected Concepts

• Identity (Python)
• References (Python)
• Conditional Tests (Python)
• Mutable Objects (Python)
• Immutable Objects (Python)