Scribd
Upload
143 views

Attributes and Methods

This document discusses key concepts related to classes in object-oriented programming including: 1. Data members are attributes declared within a class that define the properties of that class. There are class attributes and instance attributes. 2. Class attributes are common across all instances of a class, while instance attributes are specific to each instance. 3. Methods perform specific actions and can be static or instance methods, with instance methods able to access instance attributes via the self parameter.

Uploaded by

wicked
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
143 views

Attributes and Methods

This document discusses key concepts related to classes in object-oriented programming including: 1. Data members are attributes declared within a class that define the properties of that class. There are class attributes and instance attributes. 2. Class attributes are common across all instances of a class, while instance attributes are specific to each instance. 3. Methods perform specific actions and can be static or instance methods, with instance methods able to access instance attributes via the self parameter.

Uploaded by

wicked
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

ATTRIBUTES AND METHODS

1. What are data members ?


Data members are attributes declared within a class. They
are properties that further define a class.
There are two types of attributes: class attributes and
instance attributes.

2. What is a class attribute ?


An attribute that is common across all instances of a class is
called a class attribute.
Class attributes are accessed by using class name as the
prefix.
Syntax:
class className:
classAttribute = value

Example:
class Employee:
# This attribute is common across all instances of this
class
numberOfEmployees = 0

employeeOne = Employee()
employeeTwo = Employee()

Employee.numberOfEmployees += 1
print(employeeOne.numberOfEmployees)
print(employeeTwo.numberOfEmployees)

# Output => 1, 1
# Since numberOfEmployees was created as a class
attribute, we incremented it to 1 by making use of its class
name. This value has been reflected across objects
employeeOne and employeeTwo.
3. What is an instance attribute ?
An attribute that is specific to each instance of a class is
called an instance attribute.
Instance attributes are accessed within an instance method
by making use of the self object.
Syntax:
class className:
def methodName(self):
self.instanceAttribute = value

Example:
class Employee:
def employeeDetails(self, name):
# name is the instance attribute
self.name = name

4. What is the self parameter ?


Every instance method accepts has a default parameter that
is being accepted. By convention, this parameter is named self.
The self parameter is used to refer to the attributes of that
instance of the class.

Example:
class Employee:
def setName(self, name):
self.name = name

employee = Employee()
employee.setName('John')
# The above statement is inferred as
Employee.setName(employee, 'John') where the object
employee is taken as the self argument.
# In the init method when we say self.name, Python actually
takes it as employee.name, which is being stored with the value
John.
5. What are methods ?
A function within a class that performs a specific action is
called a method belonging to that class.
Methods are of two types: static method and instance
method

6. What is an instance method ?


A method which can access the instance attributes of a class
by making use of self object is called an instance method
Syntax:
def methodName(self):
# method body

Example:
class Employee:
# employeeDetails() is the instance method
def employeeDetails(self, name):
self.name = name

7. What is a static method ?


A method that does not have access to any of the instance
attributes of a class is called a static method.
Static method uses a decorator @staticmethod to indicate
this method will not be taking the default self parameter.
Syntax:
@staticmethod
# Observe that self is not being declared since this is a
static method
def methodName():
# method body

Example:
class Employee:
numberOfEmployees = 0
@StaticMethod
def updateNumberOfEmployees():
Employee.numberOfEmployees += 1

employeeOne = Employee()
employeeTwo = Employee()
employeeOne.updateNumberOfEmployees()
employeeTwo.updateNumberOfEmployees()
print(Employee.numberOfEmployees)

# We have used a static method that updates the class


attribute of the class Employee.

8. What are the ways to access the attributes and methods


of a class ?
Attributes and methods of a class can be accessed by
creating an object and accessing the attributes and objects
using class name or object name depending upon the type of
attribute followed by the dot operator (.) and the attribute name
or method name.

Example:
class Employee:
numberOfEmployees = 0
def printNumberOfEmployees(self):
print(Employee.numberOfEmployees)

employee = Employee()
# Modify class attribute using dot operator
Employee.numberOfEmployees += 1
# Call the instance method using dot operator
employee.printNumberOfEmployees()

9. What is an init method ?


An init method is the constructor of a class that can be used
to initialize data members of that class.
It is the first method that is being called on creation of an
object.
Syntax:
def __init__(self):
# Initialize the data members of the class

Example:
class Employee:
def __init__(self):
print("Welcome!")

employee = Employee()
# This would print Welcome! since __init__ method was
called on object instantiation.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy