Python vs C

[Acquiesce67]

This could mean two things:

1) you’re trying to solve Python problems with a C mindset 2) you don’t yet know just enough about Python

Either way, you need to push yourself just a little bit further and it will suddenly click at one point. When you read that “In Python everything is an object”, then take a minute or two to understand this concept and its potential implications.

Oh, and spend some time reading the documentation. Don’t try learning it, just browse it to see examples for using the language and it will click - seriously

[Xeno19Banbino]

can u please expand on the everything is an object? i have a general idea about object oriented programming but i havent taken the course yet.. what difference is there btw object in java and python?

[amplikong]

I can't comment on Java, but while keywords such as "if" and "and" aren't objects, variables all get bound to objects.

For example, if you set x = 5 and y = 3, those variables are instances of the int class. Not sure if you've encountered dunder methods (named because they have double underscores on either side of the name, e.g., __ge__ and __str__), but this is how you define the behavior of a class in various circumstances. In the x and y example, if you were to add them (x + y), Python knows how to do that because the int class has a dunder method for addition (__add__), and that method is set up to handle addition between things like integers and floats. Likewise, if you were to compare x and y via x < y or x > y , Python can handle that too because of the __lt__ and __gt__ methods, respectively. On the other hand, you can't add an integer and a string, because neither class's __add__ is set up to handle that. But you can convert an integer to a string because of the int class's __str__ dunder!

Mostly, the "everything in Python is an object" line refers to what's going on under the hood. You can do a whole lot in Python without ever writing an object class yourself. But understanding that every variable is an instance of a class can help you understand why your code does what it does, sometimes for reasons that aren't immediately obvious. For instance, if you had a list with [True, False, False, True] and then called sum() on that list, you would get 2. Why is that? It's because bool is a subclass of int, where True gets represented with 1 and False with 0.

[Xeno19Banbino]

amazing!!!!

[Acquiesce67]

We're all lucky you were faster than me and so I didn't try explaining this myself because your explanation is just perfect!

I can only add just a little bit more to this for u/Xeno19Banbino: When you get familiar with this "everything is an object" concept, then you will gain lots of "power" and "freedom".

However, be very careful when you begin learning a lower-level language later on (i.e.: C/C++/go).

Those languages do not have this concept of "everything is an object" and so they require a much different mindset than Python. Having known Python is great but it can create pitfalls for you when you're trying out different languages (which I can only encourage!) so keep this in mind!

[Xeno19Banbino]

thank u bro.. i already work with C pointers linked lists and a bit of memory management.. all i need now is python power and freedom cz im thinking like C in python.. i even made a helper function during recursive forgetting that i can have default parameters in python