Free online courseObject-Oriented Programming OOP in Python: Classes, Inheritance and Polymorphism

Course Description

Writing Python that scales is not just about making code work, it is about making it easy to extend, test, and maintain. This course helps you move from script-style programming to a clean object-oriented mindset by teaching how to design programs around well-structured classes and objects. You will practice turning real problems into reusable models, so your code stays readable even as projects grow.

You will start by building your first classes and understanding how objects and classes relate, then learn how Python actually stores and resolves attributes. Along the way, you will make your objects feel natural to use by implementing string representations and by working with computed attributes through property. You will also see when to use instance methods, class methods, and utility-style static methods so responsibilities stay clear and your design avoids unnecessary coupling.

As you gain confidence, you will step into encapsulation and controlled access with getters and setters, then learn polymorphism and operator overloading to make custom types interact smoothly with Python syntax. You will also explore comparisons, rich behavior through magic methods, and the role of NotImplementedError in defining contracts during development. These skills are essential when building libraries, frameworks, and team-friendly codebases.

The course then moves into modeling relationships between multiple classes, using patterns that prevent common pitfalls such as unsafe default parameters. You will work with structured representations like Enum, connect entities in a clear way, and see how dictionaries and keys can support practical object management. Challenges around polygons and geometry provide a hands-on way to practice organizing collaborating objects rather than writing tangled logic.

Finally, you will learn inheritance in depth, including method resolution order, super(), multilevel and multiple inheritance, and when inheritance is the wrong tool compared to composition. You will also be introduced to abstract classes to enforce consistent interfaces across related types. By the end, you will be prepared to design Python programs that are easier to evolve, with OOP choices that are intentional rather than accidental.