What is the difference between != and <>?

Question

Perhaps this is a rather newbie-ish question, but I'm curious. I have tried searching for it, but I suppose I lack the correct terminology to search properly.

Difference between != and <>.

On searching again, "inequality", I found one that discusses not == and !=, but nothing about <>.

Answer 1

In Python 2.x, <> is equivalent to !=, as described in the documentation:

The forms <> and != are equivalent; for consistency with C, != is preferred; where != is mentioned below <> is also accepted. The <> spelling is considered obsolescent.

In Python 3.x, <> has been removed. Again, the documentation says:

Removed Syntax

....

Removed <> (use != instead).

Answer 2

They are interchangeable in Python 2, but <> is deprecated and has been removed in Python 3.

Python 2.7.5 (default, May 15 2013, 22:44:16) [MSC v.1500 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
>>> 1 <> 2
True
>>> 1 != 2
True

Python 3.3.2 (v3.3.2:d047928ae3f6, May 16 2013, 00:06:53) [MSC v.1600 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
>>> 1 <> 2
  File "<stdin>", line 1
    1 <> 2
       ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>> 1 != 2
True

Answer 3

Also if you want to use <> in Python 3.X, you can import this from future module.

Python 3.3.2
>>> from __future__ import barry_as_FLUFL
>>> 1<>1
False