Python Method Overriding

In this tutorial you will learn, how method overriding works in Python.

One prominent feature of many object-oriented programming languages is a tool called method overriding, where two objects can have identically named methods that can work differently from one another.

To use method overriding, you simply create a new class that inherits from an existing class. In this new class, you create a method that's identically named as a method in the other class.

Example of Method Overriding

Sometimes the class provides a generic method, but in the child class, the user wants a specific implementation of the method.

Example

Classes Triangle, Rhombus, Pentagon and Hexagon have the same methods area() and perimeter() with different implementations:

import math
 
 
# Super class
class Polygons:
    def number_of_sides(self):
        return 0
 
    def area(self):
        return 0
 
    def perimeter(self):
        return 0
 
 
# Triangle class inherits from Polygons
class Triangle(Polygons):
    def number_of_sides(self):
        return 3
 
    def area(self, base, height):
        return 1 / 2 * base * height
 
    def perimeter(self, a, b, c):
        if a + b > c:
            return a + b + c
        else:
            return "Invalid input: make sure a + b > c"
 
 
# Rhombus class inherits from Polygons
class Rhombus(Polygons):
    def number_of_sides(self):
        return 4
 
    def area(self, p, q):
        return p * q / 2
 
    def perimeter(self, a):
        return 4 * a
 
 
# Pentagon class inherits from Polygons
class Pentagon(Polygons):
    def number_of_sides(self):
        return 5
 
    def area(self, a):
        return 1 / 4 * math.sqrt(5 * (5 + 2 * math.sqrt(5))) * a ** 2
 
    def perimeter(self, a):
        return 5 * a
 
 
# Hexagon class inherits from Polygons
class Hexagon(Polygons):
    def number_of_sides(self):
        return 6
 
    def area(self, a):
        return (3 * math.sqrt(3) / 2) * a ** 2
 
    def perimeter(self, a):
        return 6 * a
 
 
# Below is some test cases.
 
tri = Triangle()
print("Triangle Area:", tri.area(15, 25))
print("Perimeter:", tri.perimeter(15, 20, 25))
print("-----------------")
 
rho = Rhombus()
print("Rhombus Area:", rho.area(15, 25))
print("Perimeter:", rho.perimeter(30))
print("-----------------")
 
pent = Pentagon()
print("Pentagon Area:", pent.area(15))
print("Perimeter:", pent.perimeter(25))
print("-----------------")
 
hex = Hexagon()
print("Hexagon Area:", hex.area(15))
print("Perimeter:", hex.perimeter(25))
print("-----------------")

Output

Triangle Area: 187.5
Perimeter: 60
-----------------
Rhombus Area: 187.5
Perimeter: 120
-----------------
Pentagon Area: 387.10741513251753
Perimeter: 125
-----------------
Hexagon Area: 584.5671475544962
Perimeter: 150
-----------------

Python Programming

Python Method Overriding

Example of Method Overriding