Python NotImplemented constant

Question

Looking through decimal.py, it uses NotImplemented in many special methods. e.g.

class A(object):
    def __lt__(self, a):
                 


        

Answer 1

NotImplemented allows you to indicate that a comparison between the two given operands has not been implemented (rather than indicating that the comparison is valid, but yields False, for the two operands).

From the Python Language Reference:

For objects x and y, first x.__op__(y) is tried. If this is not implemented or returns NotImplemented, y.__rop__(x) is tried. If this is also not implemented or returns NotImplemented, a TypeError exception is raised. But see the following exception:

Exception to the previous item: if the left operand is an instance of a built-in type or a new-style class, and the right operand is an instance of a proper subclass of that type or class and overrides the base's __rop__() method, the right operand's __rop__() method is tried before the left operand's __op__() method. This is done so that a subclass can completely override binary operators. Otherwise, the left operand's __op__() method would always accept the right operand: when an instance of a given class is expected, an instance of a subclass of that class is always acceptable.