Python - Built-in Class Attributes

In this tutorial we will learn about built-in class attributes in Python.

Built-in class attributes gives us information about the class.

We can access the built-in class attributes using the . operator.

Following are the built-in class attributes.

The __doc__ class attribute

In the following Python program we are creating Awesome class with documentation.

# class
class Awesome:
    'This is a sample class called Awesome.'

    def __init__(self):
        print("Hello from __init__ method.")

# class built-in attribute
print(Awesome.__doc__)

The above code will give us the following output.

This is a sample class called Awesome.

The __name__ class attribute

In the following example we are printing the name of the class.

# class
class Awesome:
    'This is a sample class called Awesome.'

    def __init__(self):
        print("Hello from __init__ method.")

# class built-in attribute
print(Awesome.__name__)

Output:

Awesome

The __module__ class attribute

In the following example we are printing the module of the class.

# class
class Awesome:
    def __init__(self):
        print("Hello from __init__ method.")

# class built-in attribute
print(Awesome.__module__)

Output:

__main__

The __bases__ class attribute

In the following example we are printing the bases of the class.

# class
class Awesome:
    def __init__(self):
        print("Hello from __init__ method.")

# class built-in attribute
print(Awesome.__bases__)

Output:

(<class 'object'>,)

The __dict__ class attribute

In the following example we are printing the dict of the class.

# class
class Awesome:
    def __init__(self):
        print("Hello from __init__ method.")

# class built-in attribute
print(Awesome.__dict__)

Output:

{'__module__': '__main__', '__doc__': 'Awesome class sample documentation.', '__init__': <function Awesome.__init__ at 0x106e2c1e0>, '__dict__': <attribute '__dict__' of 'Awesome' objects>, '__weakref__': <attribute '__weakref__' of 'Awesome' objects>}