Python not equal operator

Solution 1:

Python 2 supports both, in python 3 the <> operator has been removed.

There is no difference between the two, but != is the preferred form.

Solution 2:

From the official docs you linked

!= can also be written <>, but this is an obsolete usage kept for backwards compatibility only. New code should always use !=.

I believe the rationale for originally accepting <> was that it looked more natural for someone coming from a mathematical background than the common C-style != operator.

Solution 3:

I don't know what documentation you read, but I'm not aware of any that recommends <> over !=. PEP8, the main style guide, doesn't mention any such recommendation.

Solution 4:

Just for the record,<> has been obsolete since at least as early as version 1.4, which was released in October 1996.