What do init and self do in python

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What are the roles and significance of the "init" method and the "self" parameter in Python, and how do they contribute to the object-oriented programming paradigm within the language?
Sep 25, 2023 in Python by Saniya
• 3,360 points
778 views

1 answer to this question.

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In Python, `init` and `self` are related to object-oriented programming and are commonly used when defining classes. They are not standalone functions or keywords; rather, they have specific roles within class definitions:

1. `__init__` (Double Underscore Init):
   - `__init__` is a special method (also called a constructor) in Python classes.
   - It is automatically called when an object of the class is created (instantiated).
   - The primary purpose of `__init__` is to initialize the attributes (variables) of the object.
   - You can think of it as the class's "initializer" or "constructor."
   - `__init__` takes at least one parameter, conventionally named `self`, which refers to the instance of the class being created. You can also define additional parameters to initialize the object's attributes.

Example:
```python
class MyClass:
    def __init__(self, value):
        self.value = value

# Creating an object of MyClass
obj = MyClass(42)
```

2. `self`:
   - `self` is a conventionally used name for the first parameter of instance methods in Python classes. You can actually name it something else, but using `self` is a widely accepted convention.
   - It represents the instance of the class itself and allows you to access and manipulate its attributes and methods.
   - By convention, `self` is passed as the first parameter to all instance methods, including `__init__`, but you don't need to explicitly pass it when calling the method; Python does that for you.

Example:
```python
class MyClass:
    def __init__(self, value):
        self.value = value
    
    def print_value(self):
        print(self.value)

obj = MyClass(42)
obj.print_value()  # This implicitly passes 'obj' as 'self' to print_value()
```

In the example above, `self` is used within the `__init__` method to assign the `value` parameter to an attribute of the object, and it's also used within the `print_value` method to access the object's `value` attribute.

Understanding `__init__` and `self` is fundamental to working with classes and objects in Python, as they allow you to create objects with initialized attributes and define methods that can operate on those attributes.

answered Oct 5, 2023 by anonymous
• 3,360 points

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