[Python-Dev] PEP 557: Data Classes (original) (raw)

Mike Miller python-dev at mgmiller.net
Mon Sep 11 18:53:16 EDT 2017

On 2017-09-10 23:38, Michel Desmoulin wrote:

I'm going to put some words in explaining why I don't want to use base classes (I don't think it buys you anything). Do you have a reason for preferring base classes? Not preferring, but having it as an alternative. Mainly for 2 reasons: 1 - data classes allow one to type in classes very quickly, let's harvest the benefit from that. Typing a decorator in a shell is much less comfortable than using inheritance. Same thing about IDE: all current ones have snippet with auto-switch to the class parents on tab. All in all, if you are doing exploratory programming, and thus disposable code, which data classes are fantastic for, inheritance will keep you in the flow. 2 - it will help sell the data classes I train a lot of people to Python each year. I never have to explain classes to people with any kind of programming background. I always have to explain decorators. People are not used to it, and even kind fear it for quite some time. Inheritance however, is familiar, and will not only push people to use data classes more, but also will let them do less mistakes: they know the danger of parent ordering, but not the ones of decorators ordering.

I also feel inheritance is more intuitive (and easily entered), but missed the reason it wasn't chosen. ;)

-Mike

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