What is Object-Oriented Programming in Python?
In Python object-oriented Programming (OOPs) is a programming
paradigm that uses objects and classes in programming. It aims to
implement real-world entities like inheritance, polymorphisms,
encapsulation, etc. in the programming. The main concept of object-
oriented Programming (OOPs) or oops concepts in Python is to bind the
data and the functions that work together as a single unit so that no other
part of the code can access this data. For more in-depth knowledge in
Python OOPs concepts, try GeeksforGeeks Python course, it will gives you
insights of Python programming
OOPs Concepts in Python
Class in Python
Objects in Python
Polymorphism in Python
Encapsulation in Python
Inheritance in Python
Data Abstraction in Python
Python OOPs Concepts
Python Class
A class is a collection of objects. A class contains the blueprints or the prototype
from which the objects are being created. It is a logical entity that contains some
attributes and methods.
To understand the need for creating a class let’s consider an example, let’s say
you wanted to track the number of dogs that may have different attributes like
breed, and age. If a list is used, the first element could be the dog’s breed while
the second element could represent its age. Let’s suppose there are 100 different
dogs, then how would you know which element is supposed to be which? What if
you wanted to add other properties to these dogs? This lacks organization and
it’s the exact need for classes.
Some points on Python class:
Classes are created by keyword class.
Attributes are the variables that belong to a class.
Attributes are always public and can be accessed using the dot (.)
operator. Eg.: Myclass.Myattribute
Class Definition Syntax:
class ClassName:
# Statement-1
.
.
.
# Statement-N
Creating an Empty Class in Python
In the above example, we have created a class named Dog using the class keyword.
Python
# Python3 program to
# demonstrate defining
# a class
class Dog:
pass
Output
Python Objects
In object oriented programming Python, The object is an entity that has a
state and behavior associated with it. It may be any real-world object like
a mouse, keyboard, chair, table, pen, etc. Integers, strings, floating-point
numbers, even arrays, and dictionaries, are all objects. More specifically,
any single integer or any single string is an object. The number 12 is an
object, the string “Hello, world” is an object, a list is an object that can
hold other objects, and so on. You’ve been using objects all along and may
not even realize it.
An object consists of:
State: It is represented by the attributes of an object. It also reflects
the properties of an object.
Behavior: It is represented by the methods of an object. It also
reflects the response of an object to other objects.
Identity: It gives a unique name to an object and enables one
object to interact with other objects.
To understand the state, behavior, and identity let us take the example of
the class dog (explained above).
The identity can be considered as the name of the dog.
State or Attributes can be considered as the breed, age, or color of
the dog.
The behavior can be considered as to whether the dog is eating or
sleeping.
Creating an Object
This will create an object named obj of the class Dog defined above.
Before diving deep into objects and classes let us understand some basic
keywords that will be used while working with objects and classes.
Python
obj = Dog()
The Python self
1. Class methods must have an extra first parameter in the method
definition. We do not give a value for this parameter when we call
the method, Python provides it
2. If we have a method that takes no arguments, then we still have to
have one argument.
3. This is similar to this pointer in C++ and this reference in Java.
When we call a method of this object as myobject.method(arg1, arg2),
this is automatically converted by Python into MyClass.method(myobject,
arg1, arg2) – this is all the special self is about.
Note: For more information, refer to self in the Python class
The Python __init__ Method
The __init__ method is similar to constructors in C++ and Java. It is run as
soon as an object of a class is instantiated. The method is useful to do any
initialization you want to do with your object. Now let us define a class and
create some objects using the self and __init__ method .
Creating a class and object with class and instance attributes
Python
class Dog:
# class attribute
attr1 = "mammal"
# Instance attribute
def __init__(self, name):
self.name = name
# Driver code
# Object instantiation
Rodger = Dog("Rodger")
Tommy = Dog("Tommy")
# Accessing class attributes
print("Rodger is a {}".format(Rodger.__class__.attr1))
print("Tommy is also a {}".format(Tommy.__class__.attr1))
# Accessing instance attributes
print("My name is {}".format(Rodger.name))
print("My name is {}".format(Tommy.name))
Output
Rodger is a mammal
Tommy is also a mammal
My name is Rodger
My name is Tommy
Creating Classes and objects with methods
Here, The Dog class is defined with two attributes:
attr1 is a class attribute set to the value “mammal“. Class
attributes are shared by all instances of the class.
__init__ is a special method (constructor) that initializes an instance
of the Dog class. It takes two parameters: self (referring to the
instance being created) and name (representing the name of the
dog). The name parameter is used to assign a name attribute to
each instance of Dog.
The speak method is defined within the Dog class. This method
prints a string that includes the name of the dog instance.
The driver code starts by creating two instances of the Dog class: Rodger
and Tommy. The __init__ method is called for each instance to initialize
their name attributes with the provided names. The speak method is
called in both instances (Rodger.speak() and Tommy.speak()), causing
each dog to print a statement with its name.
Python
class Dog:
# class attribute
attr1 = "mammal"
# Instance attribute
def __init__(self, name):
self.name = name
def speak(self):
print("My name is {}".format(self.name))
# Driver code
# Object instantiation
Rodger = Dog("Rodger")
Tommy = Dog("Tommy")
# Accessing class methods
Rodger.speak()
Tommy.speak()
Output
My name is Rodger
My name is Tommy
Note: For more information, refer to Python Classes and Objects
Python Inheritance
In Python object oriented Programming, Inheritance is the capability of
one class to derive or inherit the properties from another class. The class
that derives properties is called the derived class or child class and the
class from which the properties are being derived is called the base class
or parent class. The benefits of inheritance are:
It represents real-world relationships well.
It provides the reusability of a code. We don’t have to write the
same code again and again. Also, it allows us to add more features
to a class without modifying it.
It is transitive in nature, which means that if class B inherits from
another class A, then all the subclasses of B would automatically
inherit from class A.
Types of Inheritance
Single Inheritance: Single-level inheritance enables a derived
class to inherit characteristics from a single-parent class.
Multilevel Inheritance: Multi-level inheritance enables a derived
class to inherit properties from an immediate parent class which in
turn inherits properties from his parent class.
Hierarchical Inheritance: Hierarchical-level inheritance enables
more than one derived class to inherit properties from a parent
class.
Multiple Inheritance: Multiple-level inheritance enables one
derived class to inherit properties from more than one base class.
Inheritance in Python
In the above article, we have created two classes i.e. Person (parent class)
and Employee (Child Class). The Employee class inherits from the Person
class. We can use the methods of the person class through the employee
class as seen in the display function in the above code. A child class can
also modify the behavior of the parent class as seen through the details()
method.
Python
# Python code to demonstrate how parent constructors
# are called.
# parent class
class Person(object):
# __init__ is known as the constructor
def __init__(self, name, idnumber):
self.name = name
self.idnumber = idnumber
def display(self):
print(self.name)
print(self.idnumber)
def details(self):
print("My name is {}".format(self.name))
print("IdNumber: {}".format(self.idnumber))
# child class
class Employee(Person):
def __init__(self, name, idnumber, salary, post):
self.salary = salary
self.post = post
# invoking the __init__ of the parent class
Person.__init__(self, name, idnumber)
def details(self):
print("My name is {}".format(self.name))
print("IdNumber: {}".format(self.idnumber))
print("Post: {}".format(self.post))
# creation of an object variable or an instance
a = Employee('Rahul', 886012, 200000, "Intern")
# calling a function of the class Person using
# its instance
a.display()
a.details()
Output
Rahul
886012
My name is Rahul
IdNumber: 886012
Post: Intern
Note: For more information, refer to our Inheritance in Python tutorial.
Python Polymorphism
In object oriented Programming Python, Polymorphism simply means
having many forms. For example, we need to determine if the given
species of birds fly or not, using polymorphism we can do this using a
single function.
Polymorphism in Python
This code demonstrates the concept of Python oops inheritance and
method overriding in Python classes. It shows how subclasses can
override methods defined in their parent class to provide specific behavior
while still inheriting other methods from the parent class.
Python
class Bird:
def intro(self):
print("There are many types of birds.")
def flight(self):
print("Most of the birds can fly but some cannot.")
class sparrow(Bird):
def flight(self):
print("Sparrows can fly.")
class ostrich(Bird):
def flight(self):
print("Ostriches cannot fly.")
obj_bird = Bird()
obj_spr = sparrow()
obj_ost = ostrich()
obj_bird.intro()
obj_bird.flight()
obj_spr.intro()
obj_spr.flight()
obj_ost.intro()
obj_ost.flight()
Output
There are many types of birds.
Most of the birds can fly but some cannot.
There are many types of birds.
Sparrows can fly.
There are many types of birds.
Ostriches cannot fly.
Note: For more information, refer to our Polymorphism in Python Tutorial.
Python Encapsulation
In Python object oriented programming, Encapsulation is one of the
fundamental concepts in object-oriented programming (OOP). It describes
the idea of wrapping data and the methods that work on data within one
unit. This puts restrictions on accessing variables and methods directly
and can prevent the accidental modification of data. To prevent accidental
change, an object’s variable can only be changed by an object’s method.
Those types of variables are known as private variables.
A class is an example of encapsulation as it encapsulates all the data that
is member functions, variables, etc.
Encapsulation in Python
In the above example, we have created the c variable as the private attribute. We cannot even access
this attribute directly and can’t even change its value.
Python
# Python program to
# demonstrate private members
# "__" double underscore represents private attribute.
# Private attributes start with "__".
# Creating a Base class
class Base:
def __init__(self):
self.a = "GeeksforGeeks"
self.__c = "GeeksforGeeks"
# Creating a derived class
class Derived(Base):
def __init__(self):
# Calling constructor of
# Base class
Base.__init__(self)
print("Calling private member of base class: ")
print(self.__c)
# Driver code
obj1 = Base()
print(obj1.a)
# Uncommenting print(obj1.c) will
# raise an AttributeError
# Uncommenting obj2 = Derived() will
# also raise an AtrributeError as
# private member of base class
# is called inside derived class
Output
GeeksforGeeks
Note: for more information, refer to our Encapsulation in Python Tutorial.
Data Abstraction
It hides unnecessary code details from the user. Also, when we do not
want to give out sensitive parts of our code implementation and this is
where data abstraction came.
Data Abstraction in Python can be achieved by creating abstract classes .
Python
class Rectangle:
def __init__(self, length, width):
self.__length = length # Private attribute
self.__width = width # Private attribute
def area(self):
return self.__length * self.__width
def perimeter(self):
return 2 * (self.__length + self.__width)
rect = Rectangle(5, 3)
print(f"Area: {rect.area()}") # Output: Area: 15
print(f"Perimeter: {rect.perimeter()}") # Output: Perimeter: 16
# print(rect.__length) # This will raise an AttributeError as length and width are private attributes
Output
Area: 15
Perimeter: 16
What are the 4 pillars of OOP Python?
The 4 pillars of object-oriented programming (OOP) in Python (and
generally in programming) are:
Encapsulation: Bundling data (attributes) and methods (functions)
that operate on the data into a single unit (class).
Abstraction: Hiding complex implementation details and providing
a simplified interface.
Inheritance: Allowing a class to inherit attributes and methods
from another class, promoting code reuse.
Polymorphism: Using a single interface to represent different data
types or objects.
