Python’s Class Objects

Python, as an object-oriented programming language, is renowned for its simplicity and readability. One of the core concepts in Python is the class object. This guide will delve into what class objects are, and how they function, and provide examples to help you understand.

What is a Class Object in Python?

In Python, everything is an object, and a class is no exception. A class is a code template for creating objects. Objects have member variables and behavior associated with them. In Python, a class is created by the keyword class.

class MyClass:
    x = 5

In the above example, MyClass is an object (an instance of a class) with a property x.

Creating Class Objects

To create a class object, you simply call the class using the class name followed by parentheses.

p1 = MyClass()
print(p1.x)

In this case, p1 is now an object of the MyClass class.

The __init__() Function

The __init__() function is a built-in function that gets called when a class is instantiated. It’s used to assign values to object properties or other operations that are necessary when the object is being created.

class Person:
    def __init__(self, name, age):
        self.name = name
        self.age = age

p1 = Person("John", 36)

print(p1.name)
print(p1.age)

In this example, Person is a class with __init__() function that takes two parameters name and age. When we create a new Person object, we need to provide these parameters.

Class Methods

Classes in Python can also contain methods. Methods in objects are functions that belong to the object.

class Person:
    def __init__(self, name, age):
        self.name = name
        self.age = age

    def greeting(self):
        print("Hello, my name is " + self.name)

p1 = Person("John", 36)
p1.greeting()

In this example, greeting is a method in the Person class. We can call this method using the object p1.

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