The set() built-in returns random output, only when Python 3 is being used, and in non-interactive mode (executing a file).

Steps to reproduce:

1. Create file with only print(set(['A', 'B'])) inside it.

2. Execute file with Python 3.4.1 numerous times (10+) over 10+ seconds. The output will vary (randomly?) between {'B', 'A'} and {'A', 'B'}.


I can only reproduce this with Python 3.4.1 (have not tried 3.5). It cannot be reproduced in Python 2 (2.7.6) interactive or non-interactive mode, or Python 3.4.1 in interactive mode. Only in Python 3 when executing a file.


Tested on OS X 10.9.3, Python installed via Homebrew.

Yep, set order like dictionary order is arbitrary.

To expand a bit, this is by design, a consequence of the hash randomization feature; see

https://docs.python.org/3/using/cmdline.html#envvar-PYTHONHASHSEED

As noted there, if necessary, it is possible to disable hash randomization.  But tests with set values or dict keys should not depend on a particular order as even disabling hash randomization would not guarantee the same results on different platforms or builds of Pythons.

$ python3.4 -c "print(set(['A', 'B']))"
{'B', 'A'}
$ python3.4 -c "print(set(['A', 'B']))"
{'A', 'B'}
$ python3.4 -c "print(set(['A', 'B']))"
{'B', 'A'}
$ PYTHONHASHSEED=0 python3.4 -c "print(set(['A', 'B']))"
{'B', 'A'}
$ PYTHONHASHSEED=0 python3.4 -c "print(set(['A', 'B']))"
{'B', 'A'}
$ PYTHONHASHSEED=0 python3.4 -c "print(set(['A', 'B']))"
{'B', 'A'}

Ah, gotcha. I was assuming the output was consistent across environments, even though ordering of set() is arbitrary.