What are abstract classes in Python?

What are abstract classes in Python?

Abstract classes in Python are classes that cannot be instantiated and are meant to be subclassed. They can define abstract methods that must be implemented by subclasses.

Can you give me an example of an abstract class?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

from abc import ABC, abstractmethod

class Animal(ABC):
    @abstractmethod
    def sound(self):
        pass

class Dog(Animal):
    def sound(self):
        return 'Bark'

class Cat(Animal):
    def sound(self):
        return 'Meow'

What happens if a subclass doesn't implement the abstract method?

If a subclass does not implement the abstract method, it cannot be instantiated, and you'll get a TypeError.

Are there any use cases for abstract classes?

Yes, abstract classes are useful for defining a common interface for a group of related classes, ensuring that certain methods are implemented.