Classes and Objects

Constructors

Python doesn’t have constructors in the same way as languages like Java or C++. Instead, we use the __init__ method.

• __init__ is a special method (a “dunder” method because of the double underscores) that gets called automatically when you create an instance of a class.

• It’s used to initialize the object’s attributes.

class Dog:
    def __init__(self, name, breed):
        self.name = name
        self.breed = breed

    def bark(self):
        print("Woof!")

my_dog = Dog("Buddy", "Golden Retriever")
print(my_dog.name)  # Output: Buddy
my_dog.bark()       # Output: Woof!

The self parameter represents the instance of the class being created. It’s how you refer to the object’s attributes within the __init__ method.

Special Methods

Object Instantiation