Unleashing the Power of Python: Mastering Class Attributes

The Mysterious __class__ Attribute

Understanding class attributes is crucial for building robust and efficient applications in Python. One such attribute is __class__, which holds the key to unlocking the secrets of Python’s object-oriented programming.

__class__ is an attribute of the class to which it’s associated. When combined with the special variable __name__, it becomes a powerful tool for retrieving the class name of an object.

Example 1: Uncovering the Class Name

Let’s create an object v of class Vehicle() and see how we can use __class__.__name__ to print the class name:

class Vehicle:
    pass

v = Vehicle()
print(v.__class__.__name__)  # Output: Vehicle

As you can see, __class__.__name__ returns the string “Vehicle”, which is the name of the class to which object v belongs.

Diving Deeper: Using type() and __name__

But that’s not the only way to get the class name. We can also use the type() function in conjunction with __name__ to achieve the same result:

class Vehicle:
    pass

v = Vehicle()
print(type(v).__name__)  # Output: Vehicle

In this example, type(v) returns the class of object v, and __name__ gives us the class name. The result is the same as before – we get the string “Vehicle” as the output.

By mastering the use of __class__ and __name__, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a Python programming pro!