What is the id( ) function used for?

Question

I read the Python 2 docs and noticed the id() function:

Return the “identity” of an object. This is an integer (or long integer) which is

Answer 1

If you're using python 3.4.1 then you get a different answer to your question.

list = [1,2,3]
id(list[0])
id(list[1])
id(list[2])

returns:

1705950792   
1705950808  # increased by 16   
1705950824  # increased by 16

The integers -5 to 256 have a constant id, and on finding it multiple times its id does not change, unlike all other numbers before or after it that have different id's every time you find it. The numbers from -5 to 256 have id's in increasing order and differ by 16.

The number returned by id() function is a unique id given to each item stored in memory and it is analogy wise the same as the memory location in C.