dict == compares contents, not insertion order

python

it doesn't return a length—it returns a boolean (True or False).

Here's what's happening:

countS and countT are dictionaries:

countS = {'r': 2, 'a': 2, 'c': 2, 'e': 1}  # from "racecar"
countT = {'c': 2, 'a': 2, 'r': 2, 'e': 1}  # from "carrace"

When you compare two dictionaries with ==:

countS == countT  # Returns True

Python checks if both dictionaries have:

  • The same keys (characters)
  • The same values (frequencies)

The order doesn't matter—{'r': 2, 'a': 2} equals {'a': 2, 'r': 2} ✓

Example with non-anagrams:

# s = "jar", t = "jam"
countS = {'j': 1, 'a': 1, 'r': 1}
countT = {'j': 1, 'a': 1, 'm': 1}

countS == countT  # Returns False (different keys: 'r' vs 'm')