Instance attribute

Definition

An instance attribute is a variable that is bound to an individual object of a class. It is unique to each instance and can hold different values for different instances.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Instance attributes are defined within methods, typically the __init__ method.
2. They are accessed using the dot notation, e.g., instance.attribute.
3. Changing one instance's attribute does not affect other instances' attributes.
4. Instance attributes can be assigned any type of value, including other objects.
5. You can check if an object has a specific instance attribute using the hasattr() function.

Review Questions

• What method is commonly used to define instance attributes?
• How do you access an instance attribute from an object?
• Can two instances of the same class have different values for the same instance attribute?

Related terms

Class Attribute:

A variable that is shared among all instances of a class. Defined within the class but outside any methods.

__init__ Method: The constructor method in Python classes that initializes new objects and often defines initial values for instance attributes.

self:

A reference to the current instance of a class, used to access variables and methods associated with the object.