How do I check if a value is an instance of a specific class or any of its parent classes in Python using isinstance() and issubclass()?
Alex K

To check if a value is an instance of a specific class or any of its parent classes in Python, you can use theisinstance() andissubclass() functions together. Here's a step-by-step explanation: 1. Define the classes and their inheritance hierarchy: - Identify the specific class and its parent classes against which you want to perform the instance check. - Ensure that these classes are defined and accessible in your code. 2. Check for Instance of Specific Class or Parent Classes: - Use theisinstance() function to check if the value is an instance of the specified class or any of its parent classes. - Theisinstance() function takes two arguments: the value you want to check and the class (or tuple of classes) you want to compare against. - If the value is an instance of the specified class or any of the specified classes,isinstance() will returnTrue. - Use a conditional expression to check the result ofisinstance() againstTrue. - Example:

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def is_instance_of(value):
    classes = (ParentClass, SpecificClass)
    return isinstance(value, classes)

3. Check for Subclass of Specific Class or Parent Classes: - Use theissubclass() function to check if the value's class is a subclass of the specified class or any of its parent classes. - Theissubclass() function takes two arguments: the value's class and the class (or tuple of classes) you want to compare against. - If the value's class is the same as the specified class or is a subclass of any of the specified classes,issubclass() will returnTrue. - Use a conditional expression to check the result ofissubclass() againstTrue. - Example:

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def is_subclass_of(value):
    classes = (ParentClass, SpecificClass)
    return issubclass(type(value), classes)

4. Use the functions: - Call theis_instance_of() oris_subclass_of() functions and pass the value you want to check as an argument. - They will returnTrue if the value is an instance of the specified class or any of its parent classes, andFalse otherwise. - Example:

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obj = SpecificClass()

if is_instance_of(obj):
    print("Value is an instance of SpecificClass or its parent classes")
else:
    print("Value is not an instance of the specified class or its parent classes")

By using theisinstance() function to check the instance relationship between the value and the specified classes, and theissubclass() function to check the subclass relationship between the value's class and the specified classes, you can efficiently determine if a value is an instance of a specific class or any of its parent classes.

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