Python Inheritance

🐍 Python Inheritance

Inheritance is a core concept of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP).
It allows a class (child) to inherit attributes and methods from another class (parent).

1️⃣ Why Use Inheritance?

Reusability: Avoid rewriting code.
Extensibility: Add new features to existing classes.
Hierarchy: Represents real-world relationships (e.g., Vehicle → Car → ElectricCar).

2️⃣ Basic Syntax

The Child class automatically inherits the greet() method from Parent.

3️⃣ Example: Single Inheritance

4️⃣ Using `super()` to Call Parent Constructor

class Person:
def __init__(self, name):
self.name = nameclass Employee(Person):
def __init__(self, name, salary):
super().__init__(name) # call parent constructor
self.salary = salary

e = Employee("Vipul", 50000)
print(e.name) # Vipul
print(e.salary) # 50000

class Person:

def __init__(self, name):

self.name = nameclass Employee(Person):

def __init__(self, name, salary):

super().__init__(name) # call parent constructor

self.salary = salary

e = Employee("Vipul", 50000)

print(e.name) # Vipul

print(e.salary) # 50000

5️⃣ Multiple Inheritance

A child class can inherit from more than one parent.

Python uses Method Resolution Order (MRO) to determine which parent method to use.

6️⃣ Multilevel Inheritance

class Grandparent:
def legacy(self):
print("Inheritance from Grandparent")class Parent(Grandparent):
def skill(self):
print("Parent Skill")

class Child(Parent):
def hobby(self):
print("Child Hobby")

c = Child()
c.legacy() # Inherited from Grandparent
c.skill() # Inherited from Parent
c.hobby() # Own method

class Grandparent:

def legacy(self):

print("Inheritance from Grandparent")class Parent(Grandparent):

def skill(self):

print("Parent Skill")

class Child(Parent):

def hobby(self):

print("Child Hobby")

c = Child()

c.legacy() # Inherited from Grandparent

c.skill() # Inherited from Parent

c.hobby() # Own method

7️⃣ Hierarchical Inheritance

Multiple child classes inherit from one parent class.

8️⃣ Overriding Parent Methods

Child can override parent method:

class Animal:
def sound(self):
print("Some sound")class Dog(Animal):
def sound(self):
print("Woof! Woof!")

d = Dog()
d.sound() # Woof! Woof!

Can still call parent method using super():



class Dog(Animal):
def sound(self):
super().sound()
print("Woof! Woof!")d = Dog()
d.sound()

class Animal:

def sound(self):

print("Some sound")class Dog(Animal):

def sound(self):

print("Woof! Woof!")

d = Dog()

d.sound() # Woof! Woof!

Can still call parent method using super():

class Dog(Animal):

def sound(self):

super().sound()

print("Woof! Woof!")d = Dog()

d.sound()

Output:

9️⃣ Summary Table

Type of Inheritance	Example
Single	Child inherits from one parent
Multiple	Child inherits from multiple parents
Multilevel	Grandparent → Parent → Child
Hierarchical	One parent → multiple children
Hybrid	Combination of multiple types

10️⃣ Example: Real-Life Use

class Employee:
def __init__(self, name, salary):
self.name = name
self.salary = salarydef details(self):
print(f"{self.name} earns {self.salary}")

class Manager(Employee):
def bonus(self, bonus):
print(f"{self.name} receives bonus {bonus}")

m = Manager("Vipul", 70000)
m.details() # inherited
m.bonus(10000) # own method

class Employee:

def __init__(self, name, salary):

self.name = name

self.salary = salarydef details(self):

print(f"{self.name} earns {self.salary}")

class Manager(Employee):

def bonus(self, bonus):

print(f"{self.name} receives bonus {bonus}")

m = Manager("Vipul", 70000)

m.details() # inherited

m.bonus(10000) # own method

Inheritance makes code reusable, organized, and scalable.

Python Inheritance