I am learning python and doing an exercise about classes. It tells me to add an attribute to my class and a method to my class. I always thought these were the same thing until I read the exercise. What is the difference between the two?
Mental model:
According to Python's glossary:
attribute: A value associated with an object which is referenced by name using dotted expressions. For example, if an object o has an attribute a it would be referenced as o.a
method: A function which is defined inside a class body. If called as an attribute of an instance of that class, the method will get the instance object as its first argument (which is usually called
self
). See function and nested scope.
Terminology applied to actual code:
a = 10 # variable
def f(b): # function
return b ** 2
class C:
c = 20 # class attribute
def __init__(self, d): # "dunder" method
self.d = d # instance attribute
def show(self): # method
print(self.c, self.d)
e = C(30)
e.g = 40 # another instance attribute