Python Constructor

We’ll now look at a special Python function that is part of most classes: the Python constructor. A constructor is a function that is called automatically when an object is created. A constructor can optionally accept arguments as well, just like a regular function.

The default constructor

When creating an object from a class, it looks like we are calling a function:

car = Car()

Well… it doesn’t just look like we are calling a function, we are in fact calling a function! This method, which we did not have to define, is called the constructor. It constructs and initializes the object. Every class has one by default, called __init__, even if we don’t define it ourselves. This has to do with inheritance, which you’ll learn about shortly.

Have you ever used the str() function to convert a number into a string? Or perhaps the int() function to convert a string into a number? 

>>> 'a' + str(1)
'a1'
>>> int('2') + 2
4

What you are doing here, is creating new objects of type str and int by calling the constructors of the classes str and int.

Creating your own Python constructor

We can override the __init__ method, to give it extra abilities by accepting arguments. Let’s redefine the Car class using a custom constructor:

class Car:
    def __init__(self, started = False, speed = 0):
        self.started = started
        self.speed = speed

    def start(self):
        self.started = True
        print("Car started, let's ride!")

    def increase_speed(self, delta):
        if self.started:
            self.speed = self.speed + delta
            print("Vrooooom!")
        else:
            print("You need to start the car first")

    def stop(self):
        self.speed = 0

Our custom Python constructor has named parameters with default values, so we can create instances of the class Car in multiple ways:

>>> c1 = Car()
>>> c2 = Car(True)
>>> c3 = Car(True, 50)
>>> c4 = Car(started=True, speed=40)

You may have noticed a flaw: we can now create a new car that is not started but set its speed anyway. For now, let’s leave it at that.