How Does Python Compare Strings?

Unveiling the Secrets of Python String Comparison

String comparison in Python is a fundamental operation that plays a crucial role in various programming tasks. At its core, Python employs lexicographical ordering to determine the outcome of string comparisons.

The lexicographical ordering principle dictates that strings are evaluated character by character. During this process, it is the Unicode code point number of each character that determines the order. In Python 2, ASCII ordering is used instead.

Consider the comparison of 'abc' and 'bac'. The first characters, 'a' and 'b', reveal a disparity, with 'a' having a lower Unicode code point than 'b'. This difference immediately settles the comparison, resulting in True.

It is noteworthy that characters are not compared in isolation. Each character in a string is juxtaposed against its counterpart in the other string, until either string is exhausted.

Capitalization plays a significant role in string comparison. Lowercase characters are assigned higher Unicode code points than uppercase characters. Consequently, 'a' is ranked higher than 'A', and 'b' outranks 'B'. This disparity extends throughout the entire alphabet, leading to comparisons such as 'a' > 'Z' evaluating to True.

In summary, Python performs string comparison by iteratively examining characters in lexicographical order. The comparison terminates as soon as a discrepancy is detected, and the outcome is determined based on the Unicode code points of the characters.

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