[Python-Dev] Why not using the hash when comparing strings?

[Benjamin Peterson]

2012/10/19 Duncan Booth <duncan.booth at suttoncourtenay.org.uk>:
> Hrvoje Niksic <hrvoje.niksic at avl.com> wrote:
>
>> On 10/19/2012 03:22 AM, Benjamin Peterson wrote:
>>> It would be interesting to see how common it is for strings which have
>>> their hash computed to be compared.
>>
>> Since all identifier-like strings mentioned in Python are interned, and
>> therefore have had their hash computed, I would imagine comparing them
>> to be fairly common. After all, strings are often used as makeshift
>> enums in Python.
>>
>> On the flip side, those strings are typically small, so a measurable
>> overall speed improvement brought by such a change seems unlikely.
>
> I'm pretty sure it would result in a small slowdown.

Dictionary code has its own special path for string comparisons, so
this is not an issue.



-- 
Regards,
Benjamin