IS operator in python

This has to do with how Python stores strings internally. Two string literals that have the same content are stored as the same string instance¹. Since strings are immutable this is OK to do so. The first sample uses strings so both the strings created from the same string literals are both pointing to the same string instance. The second example is with arrays. Since arrays are mutable a new instance is created for each array literal and that is the reason why the Is operator will return false in the latter case while true in the former.

Regards,

— Manfred

¹This is not true for strings that are constructed to have the same content. See this SO entry here: Python '==' vs 'is' comparing strings, 'is' fails sometimes, why?[^]