is — Easy Playground

Identity operator; tests whether two variables reference the same object

Python Playground

# is checks identity (same object in memory)
a = [1, 2, 3]
b = a
c = [1, 2, 3]

print(f"a is b: {a is b}")   # Same object
print(f"a is c: {a is c}")   # Different object, same value
print(f"a == c: {a == c}")   # Same value

# Always use 'is' for None
x = None
print(f"x is None: {x is None}")
print(f"x is not None: {x is not None}")

Output

Click "Run" to execute your code

'is' tests identity (same object in memory), not equality. Always use 'is' for None, True, and False comparisons.

Challenge

Try modifying the code above to explore different behaviors. Can you extend the example to handle a new use case?

View all Easy examples for is