What are Truthy and Falsy Values in Python and How Do They Differ from True and False?

Unveiling Truthy and Falsy: Beyond True and False

Truth and falsity are fundamental concepts in programming, but in Python, they take on a nuanced form. Along with True and False, Python introduces truthy and falsy values.

Truthy Values: Embracing Non-Boolean Truths

Truthy values are those that evaluate to True in boolean comparisons. This includes not only the True boolean, but also all values except for those considered falsy. These include:

• Non-zero numbers
• Non-empty sequences and collections
• Objects with non-zero length or for which __bool__() returns True

For example, the following values are all truthy:

10
["a", "b"]
{"name": "John"}

Falsy Values: Defining Boolean Absence

Falsy values, on the contrary, evaluate to False in boolean comparisons. These include:

• False boolean
• Zero numbers
• Empty sequences and collections
• Objects with zero length or for which __bool__() returns False

Examples of falsy values in Python are:

0
[]
{}
None

Distinguishing Truthy from True and Falsy from False

While truthy values satisfy boolean comparisons, they are not identical to True. Similarly, falsy values are distinct from False. This distinction becomes apparent when using operators like == and !=, which compare values based on their identity, not their truthiness. For instance:

print(None == False)  # False (identity comparison)
print(None is False)  # True (boolean value comparison)

In conclusion, truthy and falsy values provide a flexible way to handle boolean comparisons in Python. They allow for a broader interpretation of truth and falsity, encompassing non-boolean values that satisfy or fail boolean checks. By understanding these concepts, programmers can accurately control the flow of their code based on the truthiness or falsiness of values.

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