User-Defined Classes

We’ll study object-oriented programming in Python—an optional but powerful feature of the language that cuts development time by supporting programming by customization—in depth later in this book. In abstract terms, though, classes define new types of objects that extend the core set, so they merit a passing glance here. Say, for example, that you wish to have a type of object that models employees. Although there is no such specific core type in Python, the following user-defined class might fit the bill:

>>> class Worker:
         def __init__(self, name, pay):          # Initialize when created
             self.name = name                    # self is the new object
             self.pay  = pay
         def lastName(self):
             return self.name.split()[-1]        # Split string on blanks
         def giveRaise(self, percent):
             self.pay *= (1.0 + percent)         # Update pay in-place

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This class defines a new kind of object that will have name and pay attributes (sometimes called state information), as well as two bits of behavior coded as functions (normally called methods). Calling the class like a function generates instances of our new type, and the class’s methods automatically receive the instance being processed by a given method call (in the self argument):

>>> bob = Worker('Bob Smith', 50000)             # Make two instances
>>> sue = Worker('Sue Jones', 60000)             # Each has name and pay attrs
>>> bob.lastName()                               # Call method: bob is self
'Smith'
>>> sue.lastName()                               # sue is the self subject
'Jones'
>>> sue.giveRaise(.10)                           # Updates sue's pay
>>> sue.pay
66000.0

The implied “self” object is why we call this an object-oriented model: there is always an implied subject in functions within a class. In a sense, though, the class-based type simply builds on and uses core types—a user-defined Worker object here, for example, is just a collection of a string and a number (name and pay, respectively), plus functions for processing those two built-in objects.

The larger story of classes is that their inheritance mechanism supports software hierarchies that lend themselves to customization by extension. We extend software by writing new classes, not by changing what already works. You should also know that classes are an optional feature of Python, and simpler built-in types such as lists and dictionaries are often better tools than user-coded classes. This is all well beyond the bounds of our introductory object-type tutorial, though, so consider this just a preview; for full disclosure on user-defined types coded with classes, you’ll have to read on to Part VI.