How Are Maximum and Minimum Integer Values Handled in Python?

Representing Maximum and Minimum Integer Values in Python

Unlike Java, Python does not provide specific constants for minimum and maximum integer values. However, understanding the underlying representation of integers in Python can help navigate these limits.

Python 3

In Python 3, integers are unbounded, meaning there are no inherent maximum or minimum values. This stems from Python's removal of the distinction between integers and long integers in previous versions.

However, Python 3 still provides information about the current interpreter's word size, known as sys.maxsize. This value represents the maximum size of a signed integer on the system. To calculate the minimum signed integer value, you can negate sys.maxsize and subtract one.

Python 2

In contrast to Python 3, Python 2 had explicit limits for integer values. The maximum value was stored in sys.maxint, while the minimum value was calculated as -sys.maxint - 1. However, Python 2 seamlessly transitioned to long integers when these limits were exceeded, making the need for explicit limits less prevalent.

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