Detecting new- and old-style classes

Be it typos, old libraries, or just backwards-compatibility, old-style classes are Python relics that have a tendency to creep into your shiny new programs. Given that new-style classes are almost certainly what you want, it can't hurt to know how to detect the difference.

>>> # Using Python 2
...
>>> class old_style():       # doesn't inherit from object
...    pass
...
>>> class new_style(object): # does inherit from object
...    pass
...
>>> old_object = old_style()
>>> new_object = new_style()
>>> type(old_object) == old_object.__class__
False
>>> type(new_object) == new_object.__class__
True

For the inquisitive, new-style classes unified the concept of class and type in Python 2.2. For a complete description, check out Guido's essay on the topic, circa 2002.

Merry Guido-mas, and may you only find new-style classes under your AST.