[Python] Why does 'is' behave differently for small and large integers in Python? [duplicate]

I noticed that this comparison gives True:

a = 256
b = 256
print(a is b) # True


But this giving False:

a = 257
b = 257
print(a is b) # False


I want to understand why this happens in Python. I’ve read it might be related to interning or memory optimization for small integers, but I’m not clear on the specific range that Python caches or interns by default. Also, does this behavior apply to other types like strings or booleans? I’m looking for a detailed explanation of how Python handles memory and identity with respect to integers and if this behavior is consistent across different versions.

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