>>> a = "my string" >>> b = "my string" >>> id(a) 7570480 >>> id(b) 7574128 >>> id("my string") 7574192 >>> id("my string") 7574192 >>> del(a) >>> del(b) >>> id("my string") 7574320 >>> a = "my string" >>> b = "my string" >>> a is b False >>> def f(): ... a = "my string" ... b = "my string" ... return a is b ... >>> f() True >>> a = "my string"; b = "my string" >>> id(a) 11175280 >>> id(b) 11175280