What are some examples of composition in Python?

What are some examples of composition in Python?

Composition in Python is a design principle where a class is composed of one or more objects from other classes. For example, if you have a Car class and an Engine class, a Car can have an Engine as a component.

Can you show me a code example?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

class Engine:
    def start(self):
        return "Engine started"

class Car:
    def __init__(self):
        self.engine = Engine()

    def start(self):
        return self.engine.start()

my_car = Car()
print(my_car.start())  # Output: Engine started

What are the benefits of using composition over inheritance?

Composition offers greater flexibility and reusability. It allows you to change the behavior of a class at runtime by composing it with different objects, while inheritance can lead to a rigid class hierarchy.

Are there any drawbacks to using composition?

Yes, one drawback is that it can lead to more complex code if overused, as it may require more boilerplate code to delegate functionality to composed objects.