[Tutor] Using Class Properly - early beginner question

boB Stepp robertvstepp at gmail.com
Fri Mar 24 23:14:46 EDT 2017


On Fri, Mar 24, 2017 at 9:05 AM, Rafael Knuth <rafael.knuth at gmail.com> wrote:
> I have another question :)
> I noticed that you split your class into three methods:
>
> def __init__(self):
> # initialize instances of class
>
> def make_shopping_list(self):
> # input
>
> def display_shopping_list(self):
> # output
>
> I was wondering what common practices are to structure a class?
> Thanks :)

Like Alan is his response, I am not totally certain what you are
actually asking.  If the question is, "Why didn't I write a single
method for all of the above instead of three methods?", then it is
because each method/function should have (if possible) a single,
well-defined purpose to accomplish.  And I think you have gotten that
by how you replaced my actual code with "#initialize instances of
class", "#input" and "#output".  This makes things easier for people
to understand my code, breaks apart unnecessary interdependencies that
would otherwise exist in "big" methods/functions, makes it easier for
me to write tests for each function without having to worry about
unnecessary dependencies that I will have simulate or mock, etc.


-- 
boB


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