Python Classes: OOP Mastery

A comprehensive guide to Python classes with practical examples and explanations

Python classes form the foundation of object-oriented programming (OOP), allowing developers to create structured, reusable, and maintainable code. This guide explores Python classes through practical examples in a clean, modern design.

Basic Python Class Structure

class ClassName:
    """Class documentation string"""
    
    def __init__(self, parameters):
        """Initialize instance attributes"""
        self.attribute = value
    
    def method_name(self):
        """Instance method definition"""
        return self.attribute

Basic Class Example

Let's start with a simple Person class to demonstrate the fundamental structure of a Python class with constructor, methods, and attributes.

person.py

class Person:
    """A class to represent a person."""
    
    def __init__(self, name: str, age: int):
        self.name = name
        self.age = age
    
    def greet(self) -> str:
        return f"Hello, I'm {self.name}"
    
    def __str__(self) -> str:
        return f"Person(name='{self.name}', age={self.age})"

Class Inheritance

Inheritance allows creating new classes based on existing ones, promoting code reuse and logical organization.

Employee Class

Demonstrates single inheritance where Employee extends Person.

employee.py

class Employee(Person):
    def __init__(self, name, age, employee_id):
        super().__init__(name, age)
        self.employee_id = employee_id
        self.position = "Developer"

Advanced Examples

Practical class implementations demonstrating real-world use cases.

Product Class

E-commerce product management with inventory tracking.

product.py

class Product:
    def __init__(self, id, name, price):
        self.id = id
        self.name = name
        self.price = price
        self.stock = 0
    
    def update_stock(self, quantity):
        self.stock += quantity

Game Character

RPG character system with combat mechanics.

game_character.py

class GameCharacter:
    def __init__(self, name, health=100):
        self.name = name
        self.health = health
        self.level = 1
    
    def attack(self, damage):
        return damage * self.level

Master Python Classes

Python classes are essential for building scalable, maintainable applications. By mastering OOP principles, you can write cleaner, more efficient code.

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