Inheritance In Python: The Powerful 7 Steps Guide

Python is an object-oriented programming language that allows programmers to write highly modular and reusable codes. The most significant design concept supported in OOP is Inheritance in Python. Applicability, much needed in organizing a code representation of real-world models and maintaining clean and effective codebases, is the most important thing to learn on the entire comprehensive nomenclature on Inheritance in Python from the simplest to real-world use cases. By the end of this blog post, contestants in this field will have mastered it, from students to working professionals.

Table of Contents

1. What Is an Inheritance in Python?

Inheritance in Python is when a class (its child or derived class) acquires attributes and methods from another class (its parent or base class). It encourages the reuse and neatness in class design. For example, suppose you have several classes having some common behaviors. Instead of coding those things in a detail in each class, put those things in a base class and make other classes inherit from base class. You can also use inheritance in Python for the overriding of inherited methods so as to provide particular behaviors.

2. Syntax for Inheritance

Knowing the Syntax for Inheritance is really necessary for it to be used most efficiently and implies the following: A derived class creates by writing the base class in parentheses, following the name of a derived class. Here is the example.

class Parent:

def greet(self):

print(“Hello from Parent”)

class Child(Parent):

def greet_child(self):

print(“Hello from Child”)

obj = Child()

obj.greet() # Inherited method

obj.greet_child() # Child’s own method

The above Syntax illustrates the simplicity of Inheritance. The greet() method of the Child class is inherited from the Parent class. This is a simple case of Inheritance, but Python also has its types of Inheritance.

3. Forms of Inheritance in Python

There are several kinds of inheritance, such as single inheritance, multiple inheritance, multilevel inheritance, hierarchical inheritance, and hybrid inheritance as defined in Python. Single inheritance means that a class inherits from a single parent class. Multiple inheritance means that a class inherits from multiple parent classes. Multilevel inheritance implies that a class inherits from some other class, which in turn inherits from a class. Hierarchical inheritance means more than one class inherits from one class. Hybrid means mixing all forms together.

Now let’s see an Example of Inheritance concerning multiple inheritance:

class A:

def display_a(self):

print(“Display A”)

class B:

def display_b(self):

print(“Display B”)

class C(A, B):

def display_c(self):

print(“Display C”)

obj = C()

obj.display_a()

obj.display_b()

obj.display_c()

Now, in the example above, classes C inherits classes A and B, which is a demonstration of how Inheritance in Python is able to combine multiple behaviors in one class.

4. Method Overriding and Use of Super()

One of the biggest features of Inheritance in Python is method overriding. If the child has a method which carries the same name as a method in the parent class, the child’s version overrides the parent’s version. This thereby allows the child class to supply specialized behavior. To call the parent’s version of the method, we make use of the super() function.

The example here shows Inheritance with method overriding:

class Animal:

def speak(self):

print(“Animal speaks”)

class Dog(Animal):

def speak(self):

print(“Dog barks”)

super().speak()

dog = Dog()

dog.speak()

This shows us how Inheritance in Python provides not only reusability but also extendibility, the latter being very much needed in the making of scalable systems. Then there is super() taking part in writing clean code.

5. Practical Use Cases of Inheritance in Python

Inheritance in Python is much more than just a theory. It is widely applied in real life. For example, a broad GameObject class in game development can have several derived classes such as Player, Enemy, and NPC, each able to extend the behavior of a GameObject. Likewise, in web application development, a User class could be inherited by AdminUser, GuestUser, or RegisteredUser, each of which would have its own custom permissions and attributes.

Other uses include billing systems where Invoice base class can be inherited by RetailInvoice and Wholesale Invoice, thereby allowing the developer to implement specific behaviors for each invoice type without rewriting the common functionalities.

6. Some Best Practices While Working with Inheritance

Even though Inheritance in Python is quite a potent tool, care should be exercised while using it. Otherwise, it would impose unnecessary maintenance overhead on programmers and make the code more difficult to understand. Prefer composition over inheritance when your class’s relationship would be better described using “has-a” than “is-a.” Further, the child class should always be a logical extension of the parent. Inheritance should be avoided if it leads to highly deep class hierarchy, because it reduces the overall readability of the code. Lastly, before entering the advanced definitions of inheritance, completely understand its basic syntax.

Another piece of advice we often give: put the inherited behavior to the test! In practice, overridden methods may break functionality unless properly accounted for. Therefore, it is equally important to know the inner workings of inheritance in Python.

Also Read:

7. Why do we need Inheritance in Python?

Inheritance in Python is one of the primary properties of OOP that leads to modular, reusable, and extensible code writing. Python has a comparatively simple syntax for inheritance and is applicable almost everywhere; therefore, implementing even much-complicated class hierarchies become easy for a developer. Python offers flexibility in creating scalable solutions across industries through its types of Inheritance and method overriding. Real world examples of Inheritance have clearly shown how it simplifies development while retaining flexibility. Be it for a freshman trying to learn the basics or a pro to write a clean architecture, it’s one skill worth investing in: Inheritance in Python.

If you are interested in boosting your skills in Python, especially with Data Structures and Algorithms that complement your knowledge in OOP, we recommend the PW Skills DSA in Python course. It consists of structured content, live coding challenges, and mentorship by industry experts, which will make you interview-ready and give you confidence when solving problems. The recipe for every developer you need to keep in the good books is good OOP, built upon by DSA.

FAQs

What is inheritance in Python and why is it useful?

Inheritance in Python allows a child class to inherit methods and attributes from a parent class. It helps in code reusability and structured programming.