CODEWITHSUNDEEP
python-3.xoopabstract-class
Nathan Furnal
Nathan Furnal

Reputation: 2410

What is the purpose of concrete methods in abstract classes in Python?

I feel like this subject is touched in some other questions but it doesn't get into Python (3.7) specifically, which is the language I'm most familiar with.

I'm starting to get the hang of abstract classes and how to use them as blueprints for subclasses I'm creating.

What I don't understand though, is the purpose of concrete methods in abstract classes.

If I'm never going to instantiate my parent abstract class, why would a concrete method be needed at all, shouldn't I just stick with abstract methods to guide the creation of my subclasses and explicit the expected behavior?

Thanks.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1386

Answers (1)

user1785730
user1785730

Reputation: 3535

This question is not Python specific, but general object oriented.

There may be cases in which all your sub-classes need a certain method with a common behavior. It would be tedious to implement the same method in all your sub-classes. If you instead implement the method in the parent class, all your sub-classes inherit this method automatically. Even callers may call the method on your sub-class, although it is implemented in the parent class. This is one of the basic mechanics of class inheritance.

Upvotes: 2

Related Questions