Method Resolution Order in PythonIn this tutorial, we will learn about method resolution order, which is also known as the MRO. It is an essential concept of Python inheritance. Method resolution order describes the search path of the class which Python uses to get the appropriate method in classes that contain the multi-inheritance. IntroductionAs we know that, a class that being inherited is called the Subclass or Parent class, while the class that inherits is known as a child class or subclass. In the multi-inheritance, a class can consist of many functions, so the method resolution order technique is used to search the order in which the base class is executed. In simple words - "The method or attributes is explored in the current class, if the method is not present in the current class, the search moves to the parent classes, and so on". This is an example of a depth-first search. It plays an essential role in multiple inheritance where the same method can be found in the multiple superclasses. To understand it in a better way, let's see how we can use it. Example - Output: I am a class C Explanation - There is a multiple inheritance in the above code. We have defined three-class called A, B, and C, and these classes have the same name method called myname(). We created an object class C. The object invoked class C, not the class, while class C inherited the class A method. The order is followed in the above code is class B - > class A. This technique is known as MRO (method resolution order). Let's understand another example of multiple inheritance. Example - Output: I am a class B Explanation - In the above code, we have created another D class without defining class attributes that inherited B and C class. When we invoked the method myname(), it goes to class D and searches for the myname() function. But class D doesn't have any declaration. Hence, the search transfers to class B, gets the myname() function, and returns the result. The search will take place as follows. If class B wouldn't have a method, it will invoke the class C method. Here, we are suggesting you remove the class B method and check what happens. By doing this, you will get an idea of how the method resolution works. Old and New Style OrderIn the Older version of Python (2.1), we are restricted to use the old classes but Python (2.2 & continue), we can use the new classes. By default, Python 3 has original (new) classes. The new style class's first parent inherits from Python root 'object' class. Let's see the following example - Example - The declaration style of both classes is different. In the method resolution, old-style classes follow the depth-first left to the right algorithm (DLR), whereas new style classes use the C3 Linearization algorithm while performing multiple inheritance. DLR AlgorithmPython creates a list of classes while implementing the multiple inheritance between the classes. That list is used to determine which method has to be called one is invoked by instances. We can assume working by its name as method resolution will search depth-first, and then go left to right. Below is the example. Example - First, the algorithm will search in the instance class for the invoked method. If not found, it goes into the first parents, if there is also not found. It will look into the parent of the parent. This will continue till the end of inheriting classes. In the above example, the method resolution order will be - But, A cannot be twice present so - This algorithm shows the strange behavior at the time. Let's see the below example. Example - According to DLR Algorithm, the order will be E, C, D, B, A. There is the interchange of classes A & B in class C, which is very ambiguous. It means the algorithm doesn't preserve the monotonicity property. Samuele Perdoni was the first person who discovered an inconsistency between the MRO algorithms. C3 Linearization AlgorithmThe C3 Linearization Algorithm is a better version of DLR algorithm because it removes the inconsistency. This algorithm has some restrictions that are given below.
Rules of C3 Linearization Algorithm
Method for Method Resolution classPython provides two ways to get the method resolution order of a class - __mro__ attribute or mro() method. With the help of these methods, we can display the order of method in which they are resolved. Let's understand the following example. Example - Output: (<class '__main__.D'>, <class '__main__.B'>, <class '__main__.C'>, <class '__main__.A'>, <class 'object'>) [<class '__main__.C'>, <class '__main__.A'>, <class 'object'>] As we can see in the above output, we get the order of the method resolution order. In such a way, C3 linearization algorithm work for multiple inheritance. Next TopicMonkey Patching in Python |
We provides tutorials and interview questions of all technology like java tutorial, android, java frameworks
G-13, 2nd Floor, Sec-3, Noida, UP, 201301, India