class SuperHero(object): #superclass, inherits from default object
def getName(self):
raise NotImplementedError #you want to override this on the child classes
class SuperMan(SuperHero): #subclass, inherits from SuperHero
def getName(self):
return "Clark Kent"
class SuperManII(SuperHero): #another subclass
def getName(self):
return "Clark Kent, Jr."
if __name__ == "__main__":
sm = SuperMan()
print(sm.getName())
sm2 = SuperManII()
print(sm2.getName())
# Initialize using Parent
#
class MySubClass(MySuperClass):
def __init__(self):
MySuperClass.__init__(self)
Or, even better, the use of Python's built-in function, super() (see the Python 2/Python 3 documentation for it) may be a slightly better method of calling the parent for initialization:
# Better initialize using Parent (less redundant).
#
class MySubClassBetter(MySuperClass):
def __init__(self):
super(MySubClassBetter, self).__init__()
Or, same exact thing as just above, except using the zero argument form of super(), which only works inside a class definition:
class MySubClassBetter(MySuperClass):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
There is another way to make subclasses in python dynamically with a function type():
SubClass = type('SubClass', (BaseClass,), {'set_x': set_x}) # Methods can be set, including __init__()
You usually want to use this method when working with metaclasses. When you want to do some lower level automations, that alters way how python creates class. Most likely you will not ever need to do it in this way, but when you do, than you already will know what you are doing.
In the answers above, the super is initialized without any (keyword) arguments. Often, however, you would like to do that, as well as pass on some 'custom' arguments of your own. Here is an example which illustrates this use case:
class SortedList(list):
def __init__(self, *args, reverse=False, **kwargs):
super().__init__(*args, **kwargs) # Initialize the super class
self.reverse = reverse
self.sort(reverse=self.reverse) # Do additional things with the custom keyword arguments
This is a subclass of list which, when initialized, immediately sorts itself in the direction specified by the reverse keyword argument, as the following tests illustrate:
import pytest
def test_1():
assert SortedList([5, 2, 3]) == [2, 3, 5]
def test_2():
SortedList([5, 2, 3], reverse=True) == [5, 3, 2]
def test_3():
with pytest.raises(TypeError):
sorted_list = SortedList([5, 2, 3], True) # This doesn't work because 'reverse' must be passed as a keyword argument
if __name__ == "__main__":
pytest.main([__file__])
Thanks to the passing on of *args to super, the list can be initialized and populated with items instead of only being empty. (Note that reverse is a keyword-only argument in accordance with PEP 3102).
# create a parent class
class Person(object):
def __init__(self):
pass
def getclass(self):
return 'I am a Person'
# create two subclass from Parent_class
class Student(Person):
def __init__(self):
super(Student, self).__init__()
def getclass(self):
return 'I am a student'
class Teacher(Person):
def __init__(self):
super(Teacher, self).__init__()
def getclass(self):
return 'I am a teacher'
person1 = Person()
print(person1.getclass())
student1 = Student()
print(student1.getclass())
teacher1 = Teacher()
print(teacher1.getclass())