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Python Quickstart for Experienced Programmers

The Python Language 4

In Python, everything is considered an object, allowing the use of functions like type() to reveal an object's class. The dir() function lists a class's methods and attributes, exemplified by the str class's numerous capabilities. Classes are defined using the class keyword, with attributes and methods added at class scope, while instance attributes require a self parameter and the __init__ method during object creation. Python also supports inheritance, including multiple inheritance, though the latter should be used sparingly.

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Objects and classes

Everything in Python is an object.

For example, if we use the type() function introduced earlier, we can see:

Python 3.5
print(type('hello'))    # outputs <class 'str'>

So, hello is an instance of the str class. We can use the built-in dir() function to list the methods and attributes of a class: ...

Python 3.5
for item in dir(str):
    print(item)
...