Python boolean XOR

logical_xor.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3

__all__ = ['logical_xor']

def logical_xor(a, b):
    # technically, all of the parentheses on the following line may be removed
    return ((not b) and a) or ((not a) and b)

# correct
assert logical_xor(True, False)
assert logical_xor(False, True)
assert not logical_xor(True, True)
assert not logical_xor(False, False)

# pythonic: in the return-truthy path, the sole truthy operand will be returned as-is
assert (42 or 0) == logical_xor(42, 0) == 42
assert (0 or 42) == logical_xor(0, 42) == 42

# pythonic: in the two-falsies path, the latter operand will be returned as-is
assert type(0 or 0.0) == type(logical_xor(0, 0.0)) == float
assert type(0.0 or 0) == type(logical_xor(0.0, 0)) == int

# pythonic: in the two-truthies path, literal False is returned due to semantic negation
assert (not 42) is logical_xor(42, 69) is False