Object-oriented programming (OOP) in Python is a programming paradigm that uses objects and classes to structure a program. It allows for the bundling of related properties and behaviors into individual objects, which can then be passed around throughout the program. In OOP, objects are like the components of a system, and the paradigm provides a means of modeling real-world entities as software objects with associated data and operations.
Key concepts of OOP in Python include:
- Classes: A class is a collection of objects.
- Objects: Any entity that has attributes and behaviors.
- Polymorphism: The ability to present the same interface for different data types.
- Encapsulation: The bundling of attributes and methods inside a single class to prevent external access and modification.
- Inheritance: Creating a new class using details of an existing class without modifying it.
OOP in Python aims to implement real-world entities like inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, etc., in programming, and it provides a way to structure programs so that properties and behaviors are bundled into individual objects.
In summary, object-oriented programming in Python is a powerful paradigm that allows for the modeling of real-world entities as software objects with associated data and operations, providing a structured and efficient way to design and organize programs.