Chapter 6: Advanced Object-Oriented Programming in Python

This chapter explores advanced object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts in Python to help you build more flexible, reusable, and scalable software systems. We'll cover:

• Inheritance and polymorphism
• Duck typing and dynamic behavior
• Abstract base classes
• Composition vs inheritance
• Real-world example and test cases

6.1 Inheritance in Python

Inheritance allows a class to reuse code from another class.

class Animal:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name

    def speak(self):
        return "Makes a sound"

class Dog(Animal):
    def speak(self):
        return f"{self.name} says Woof!"

dog = Dog("Fido")
print(dog.speak())  # Fido says Woof!

Note: Dog inherits the __init__ method from Animal and overrides speak.

6.2 Polymorphism

The term polymorphism means "many forms." In Python OOP, it refers to the ability of different object types to respond to the same method or interface.

class Dog:
    def speak(self):
        return "Woof!"

class Cat:
    def speak(self):
        return "Meow!"

animals = [Dog(), Cat()]
for animal in animals:
    print(animal.speak())

Output:

Woof!
Meow!

This is polymorphism: you call speak() on each object without knowing or caring what their specific class is.

6.3 Duck Typing in Python

Python uses duck typing: if an object has the expected method or behavior, it's valid — regardless of its actual type.

“If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.”

class Bird:
    def fly(self):
        return "Flap flap"

class Airplane:
    def fly(self):
        return "Jet sounds"

def make_it_fly(flier):
    print(flier.fly())

make_it_fly(Bird())       # Flap flap
make_it_fly(Airplane())   # Jet sounds

Python does not care about class inheritance. It just checks if the method exists at runtime.

6.4 Method Overriding

In class inheritance, subclasses can override methods from their parent class. This is another form of polymorphism.

class Shape:
    def area(self):
        raise NotImplementedError()

class Circle(Shape):
    def __init__(self, radius):
        self.radius = radius

    def area(self):
        return 3.14 * self.radius ** 2

class Square(Shape):
    def __init__(self, side):
        self.side = side

    def area(self):
        return self.side ** 2

shapes = [Circle(3), Square(4)]
for shape in shapes:
    print(shape.area())

Output:

28.26
16

Each shape implements its own area() logic.

6.5 Abstract Base Classes (ABCs)

Sometimes, you want to enforce an interface across subclasses. Python’s abc module lets you do that.

from abc import ABC, abstractmethod

class Exporter(ABC):
    @abstractmethod
    def export(self, data):
        pass

Any subclass of Exporter must implement the export() method.

class JSONExporter(Exporter):
    def export(self, data):
        import json
        return json.dumps(data)

class CSVExporter(Exporter):
    def export(self, data):
        import csv
        from io import StringIO

        output = StringIO()
        writer = csv.DictWriter(output, fieldnames=data[0].keys())
        writer.writeheader()
        writer.writerows(data)
        return output.getvalue()

def save_data(exporter: Exporter, data):
    output = exporter.export(data)
    print(output)

data = [{"name": "ALice", "age": 30}, {"name": "Bob", "age": 25}]

save_data(JSONExporter(), data)
save_data(CSVExporter(), data)

ABCs with Default Implementations

You can provide concrete methods alongside abstract ones:

class Exporter(ABC):
    @abstractmethod
    def export(self, data):
        pass

    def validate(self, data):
        if not data:
            raise ValueError("Data must not be empty")

Subclasses inherit validate() as-is but must still implement export().

6.6 Composition vs. Inheritance

Instead of inheriting behavior, sometimes it’s better to compose classes from smaller parts.

class Engine:
    def start(self):
        return "Engine started"

class Car:
    def __init__(self):
        self.engine = Engine()

    def start(self):
        return self.engine.start()

car = Car()
print(car.start())  # Engine started

Use composition when the relationship is "has-a"; use inheritance when the relationship is defined by "is-a".

6.7 Testing Inheritance and Polymorphism

import pytest

class Parent:
    def greet(self):
        return "Hello from Parent"

class Child(Parent):
    def greet(self):
        return "Hello from Child"

def test_polymorphism():
    obj: Parent = Child()
    assert obj.greet() == "Hello from Child"

def test_inheritance():
    child = Child()
    assert isinstance(child, Parent)

Chapter Assignment

For this chapter we're going to extend the TaskManager example from the previous chapter and incorporate some of the new concepts we've learned here.

• Create an ABC called BaseTask that can be extended by task classes such as SimpleTask that have the attributes of the existing Task class, and a new DeadlineTask that also have a due_date attribute.
• Update the TaskManager to work with a list of BaseTask.
• Create a TaskNotifier class to determine which one of the tasks within the list of tasks managed by the TaskManager have expired.
• Bonus: Try adding a RecurringTask that inherits from BaseTask but includes recurrence logic (e.g., daily/weekly).
• Hint: Use duck typing to allow third-party task types as long as they implement __str__ and mark_done.