Question

You have a Python class which needs an equals test. Python should use duck-typing but is it (better/more accurate) to include or exclude an isinstance test in the eq function? For example:

class Trout(object):
    def __init__(self, value):
        self.value = value

    def __eq__(self, other):
        return isinstance(other, Trout) and self.value == other.value

Answer 1

Using isinstance in __eq__ methods is pretty common. The reason for this is that if the __eq__ method fails, it can fallback on an __eq__ method from another object. Most normal methods are called explicitly, but __eq__ is called implicitly, so it requires look-before-you-leap more frequently.

EDIT (thanks for the reminder, Sven Marnach):

To make it fallback, you can return the NotImplemented singleton, as in this example:

class Trout(object):
    def __init__(self, value):
        self.value = value

    def __eq__(self, other):
        if isinstance(other, Trout):
            return self.value == other.value
        else:
            return NotImplemented

Suppose a RainbowTrout knows how to compare itself to a Trout or to another RainbowTrout, but a Trout only knows how to compare itself to a Trout. In this example, if you test mytrout == myrainbowtrout, Python will first call mytrout.__eq__(myrainbowtrout), notice that it fails, and then call myrainbowtrout.__eq__(mytrout), which succeeds.