Why False is an instance of integer?

Question

Here is the code:

print(False in (0, 1))
print(isinstance(False, int))

outputs:

True
True

https://code.sololearn.com/c9NlnwDTw75k/?ref=app

Answer 1

Usually in programming, True is symbolized by the number 1 and False is symbolized by the number 0.

Answer 2

Exactly.

Here, because boolean is a subclass of int. So, False is 0. Then isinstance(False, int) == isinstance(0, int).

Check: issubclass(bool, int) in #Python documentations.

Answer 3

Thank you. Exactly.

Answer 4

Originally, python had no boolean type, so 0 and 1 where used as False and True

When they finally introduced boolens they needed to make them an instance of int for retro-compatibility

As for today, there really isn't any need for it, so it's there just for an historic reason

Answer 5

https://code.sololearn.com/cWpnxfM6opm9/?ref=app

Answer 6

Because it's one bit of one byte so it's either 1 or zero this is how integers are saved just with more bytes

Answer 7

Thank you.