Python if not == vs if !=

Question

What is the difference between these two lines of code:

if not x == \'val\':

and

if x != \'val\':

Is one

Answer 1

It's about your way of reading it. not operator is dynamic, that's why you are able to apply it in

if not x == 'val':

But != could be read in a better context as an operator which does the opposite of what == does.