Python Course → OOP → Topic 59 of 100
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🍎 Python OOP Topic 59 / 100
⏳ 8 min read

super()

Call parent class methods from a child class — the right way to extend inherited behaviour without duplicating code.

"super() means 'go up one level in the class hierarchy and use that version'. It keeps your code DRY and makes inheritance actually useful."

— ShurAI

What is super()?

super() returns a proxy object that gives you access to the parent class’s methods. It is most commonly used in two places:

In __init__
Call parent’s constructor to set up inherited attributes before adding new ones.
super().__init__(...)
In a method
Extend the parent’s method instead of fully replacing it.
super().method_name()

super() in __init__

python
class Vehicle:
    def __init__(self, make, speed):
        self.make  = make
        self.speed = speed

class Car(Vehicle):
    def __init__(self, make, speed, doors):
        super().__init__(make, speed)  # sets self.make and self.speed
        self.doors = doors              # add Car's own attribute

c = Car("Toyota", 180, 4)
print(c.make)   # Toyota  — set by Vehicle.__init__ via super()
print(c.doors)  # 4       — set by Car.__init__

Without super() — What Goes Wrong

python — bad: duplicating parent code
class Car(Vehicle):
    def __init__(self, make, speed, doors):
        self.make  = make    # duplicated from Vehicle!
        self.speed = speed   # duplicated from Vehicle!
        self.doors = doors

# If Vehicle.__init__ ever changes, Car breaks silently.
# Always use super() instead.

super() in an Overridden Method

python
class Logger:
    def log(self, msg):
        print(f"[LOG] {msg}")

class TimestampLogger(Logger):
    def log(self, msg):
        from datetime import datetime
        ts = datetime.now().strftime("%H:%M:%S")
        super().log(f"[{ts}] {msg}")   # extend, not replace

TimestampLogger().log("App started")
# [LOG] [14:22:07] App started

Multi-Level Inheritance

super() always goes up exactly one level, so it works cleanly in chains:

python
class A:
    def greet(self): print("Hello from A")

class B(A):
    def greet(self):
        super().greet()        # calls A.greet()
        print("Hello from B")

class C(B):
    def greet(self):
        super().greet()        # calls B.greet() which calls A.greet()
        print("Hello from C")

C().greet()
# Hello from A
# Hello from B
# Hello from C

"Always call super().__init__() first in a child's __init__ before setting your own attributes. Otherwise you might overwrite something the parent just set up."

— ShurAI

🧠 Quiz — Q1

What does super() return?

🧠 Quiz — Q2

Why call super().__init__() inside a child's __init__?

🧠 Quiz — Q3

In class Car(Vehicle), what does super().__init__(make, speed) do?

🧠 Quiz — Q4

When is it better to use super().method() than to fully override a method?

← Method Overriding Dunder Methods →