Abstract Classes in Python

An abstract class can be considered as a blueprint for other classes. It allows you to create a set of methods that must be created within any child classes built from the abstract class. A class which contains one or more abstract methods is called an abstract class. An abstract method is a method that has a declaration but does not have an implementation. While we are designing large functional units we use an abstract class. When we want to provide a common interface for different implementations of a component, we use an abstract class.

Why use Abstract Base Classes :
By defining an abstract base class, you can define a common Application Program Interface(API) for a set of subclasses. This capability is especially useful in situations where a third-party is going to provide implementations, such as with plugins, but can also help you when working in a large team or with a large code-base where keeping all classes in your mind is difficult or not possible.

How Abstract Base classes work :
By default, Python does not provide abstract classes. Python comes with a module that provides the base for defining Abstract Base classes(ABC) and that module name is ABC. ABC works by decorating methods of the base class as abstract and then registering concrete classes as implementations of the abstract base. A method becomes abstract when decorated with the keyword @abstractmethod. For Example –

Code 1:

# Python program showing
# abstract base class work
from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
class Polygon(ABC):
    @abstractmethod
    def noofsides(self):
        pass
class Triangle(Polygon):
    # overriding abstract method
    def noofsides(self):
        print("I have 3 sides")
class Pentagon(Polygon):
    # overriding abstract method
    def noofsides(self):
        print("I have 5 sides")
class Hexagon(Polygon):
    # overriding abstract method
    def noofsides(self):
        print("I have 6 sides")
class Quadrilateral(Polygon):
    # overriding abstract method
    def noofsides(self):
        print("I have 4 sides")
# Driver code
R = Triangle()
R.noofsides()
K = Quadrilateral()
K.noofsides()
R = Pentagon()
R.noofsides()
K = Hexagon()
K.noofsides()

Output:

I have 3 sides
I have 4 sides
I have 5 sides
I have 6 sides

Code 2:

# Python program showing
# abstract base class work
from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
class Animal(ABC):
    def move(self):
        pass
class Human(Animal):
    def move(self):
        print("I can walk and run")
class Snake(Animal):
    def move(self):
        print("I can crawl")
class Dog(Animal):
    def move(self):
        print("I can bark")
class Lion(Animal):
    def move(self):
        print("I can roar")
        
# Driver code
R = Human()
R.move()
K = Snake()
K.move()
R = Dog()
R.move()
K = Lion()
K.move()

Output:

I can walk and run
I can crawl
I can bark
I can roar

Implementation Through Subclassing :
By subclassing directly from the base, we can avoid the need to register the class explicitly. In this case, the Python class management is used to recognize PluginImplementation as implementing the abstract PluginBase.

# Python program showing
# implementation of abstract
# class through subclassing
import abc
class parent:      
    def geeks(self):
        pass
class child(parent):
    def geeks(self):
        print("child class")
# Driver code
print( issubclass(child, parent))
print( isinstance(child(), parent))

Output:

True
True

A side-effect of using direct subclassing is, it is possible to find all the implementations of your plugin by asking the base class for the list of known classes derived from it.

Concrete Methods in Abstract Base Classes :
Concrete classes contain only concrete (normal)methods whereas abstract classes may contain both concrete methods and abstract methods. The concrete class provides an implementation of abstract methods, the abstract base class can also provide an implementation by invoking the methods via super().
Let look over the example to invoke the method using super():

Python3

# Python program invoking a
# method using super()
import abc
from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
class R(ABC):
    def rk(self):
        print("Abstract Base Class")
class K(R):
    def rk(self):
        super().rk()
        print("subclass ")
# Driver code
r = K()
r.rk()

Output:

Abstract Base Class
subclass

In the above program, we can invoke the methods in abstract classes by using super().

Abstract Properties :
Abstract classes include attributes in addition to methods, you can require the attributes in concrete classes by defining them with @abstractproperty.

Python3

# Python program showing
# abstract properties
import abc
from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
class parent(ABC):
    @abc.abstractproperty
    def geeks(self):
        return "parent class"
class child(parent):
     
    @property
    def geeks(self):
        return "child class"
 
 
try:
    r =parent()
    print( r.geeks)
except Exception as err:
    print (err)
 
r = child()
print (r.geeks)

Output:

Can't instantiate abstract class parent with abstract methods geeks
child class

In the above example, the Base class cannot be instantiated because it has only an abstract version of the property getter method.

Abstract Class Instantiation :
Abstract classes are incomplete because they have methods that have nobody. If python allows creating an object for abstract classes then using that object if anyone calls the abstract method, but there is no actual implementation to invoke. So we use an abstract class as a template and according to the need, we extend it and build on it before we can use it. Due to the fact, an abstract class is not a concrete class, it cannot be instantiated. When we create an object for the abstract class it raises an error.

Python3

# Python program showing
# abstract class cannot
# be an instantiation
from abc import ABC,abstractmethod
class Animal(ABC):
    @abstractmethod
    def move(self):
        pass
class Human(Animal):
    def move(self):
        print("I can walk and run")
class Snake(Animal):
    def move(self):
        print("I can crawl")
class Dog(Animal):
    def move(self):
        print("I can bark")
class Lion(Animal):
    def move(self):
        print("I can roar")
c=Animal()

Output:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/ffe4267d930f204512b7f501bb1bc489.py", line 19, in 
    c=Animal()
TypeError: Can't instantiate abstract class Animal with abstract methods move

Last Updated on October 24, 2021 by admin

Abstract Classes in Python