How do I check if a value is an instance of any of multiple classes or their subclasses in Python?
Alex K
To check if a value is an instance of any of multiple classes or their subclasses in Python, you can use theisinstance() function in combination with a tuple of classes. Here's a long-form explanation of how to perform this check:
1. Determine the Value and Classes:
- Start by identifying the value you want to check its class instance and the classes you want to compare against.
2. Check Class Instances:
- To check if the value is an instance of any of the specified classes or their subclasses, use theisinstance() function.
- Theisinstance() function takes two arguments: the value you want to check and a tuple of classes to compare against.
- If the value is an instance of any of the classes or their subclasses, theisinstance() function returnsTrue. Otherwise, it returnsFalse.
- Example:
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class ClassA:
pass
class ClassB(ClassA):
pass
class ClassC:
pass
value = ClassB()
is_instance = isinstance(value, (ClassA, ClassC))
print(is_instance) # Output: True
By using theisinstance() function with a tuple of classes, you can check if a value is an instance of any of the specified classes or their subclasses. This approach allows you to perform type checking and make decisions based on the class hierarchy.
It's important to note that the classes in the tuple are checked in the order they are provided. If the value is an instance of multiple classes in the tuple, theisinstance() function will returnTrue for the first matching class encountered in the tuple.