Method Overriding in Python: How It Works and Why You Need It

Did you know? Python just got a safety upgrade for method overriding in 2024! The @override decorator from the overrides library now catches hidden bugs by making sure your subclass methods truly replace parent methods.

Method overriding in Python lets a subclass replace a method defined in its superclass with its own version. The problem arises when you need to modify inherited methods to fit the subclass's requirements, without altering the original class. 

In this tutorial, you’ll look at what is method overriding in Python, how it works, and why it’s important for writing efficient, maintainable code.

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What is Method Overriding in Python?

Method overriding in Python allows a subclass to provide a specific implementation of a method already defined in its parent class. This core concept in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) makes your code more flexible and customizable.

When you use method overriding, you redefine a method in the subclass with the same name and parameters as the one in the parent class. This enables you to change the method's behavior in the subclass while preserving the parent class's structure.

The key features of method overriding in Python include:

• Same Method Signature: The method name and parameters in the subclass must match those of the parent class.
• Customization: You can modify the inherited method to perform different actions or return values more suited to the subclass’s needs.
• No Changes to Parent Class: Python Method overriding example allows you to change the behavior of methods in subclasses without altering the parent class.
• Dynamic Polymorphism: It enables polymorphism in Python, where different classes can implement methods in their way. 

Method overriding in Python is more than just a feature you can apply. It’s important to understand how and when to use it in different coding scenarios to ensure your code is efficient and maintainable. Here are three programs that can help you:

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Purpose of Method Overriding in Python

While it allows you to change the behavior of methods in subclasses, the actual value of method overriding becomes clear when we look at its purpose in real-life programming.

Let’s understand its vital purpose:

1. Customizing Inherited Behavior

Overriding allows subclasses to modify or extend the behavior of methods inherited from parent classes. This means you can adapt general functionality to suit the particular requirements of a subclass, providing more precise control over its behavior.

2. Achieving Polymorphism

Through method overriding, Python enables polymorphism, allowing objects of different classes to be treated as instances of a common superclass. The actual method that gets executed is determined at runtime, depending on the object's class, leading to more flexible and dynamic code.

3. Reducing Code Duplication

By overriding methods, you can reuse the functionality of a parent class method while extending or modifying it for the subclass. Instead of writing duplicate code, you can inherit behavior and selectively python override parts of it, making your code cleaner, more efficient, and easier to maintain.

Understanding and utilizing python method overriding example effectively can lead to more adaptable, efficient, and maintainable Python code.

In short, understanding what is method overriding in Python is all about providing customized real-world solutions, ensuring your code is adaptable, and avoiding redundancy.

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Let’s say you're working on a project that involves multiple types of vehicles — cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Each can "drive" but has unique driving behaviors. Instead of rewriting the logic for each vehicle from scratch, you can use python method overriding  example to customize the behavior of the drive() method for each while maintaining a shared interface.

This is exactly how method overriding in Python works: a subclass inherits a method from its parent class and then provides its implementation, adapting it for its specific needs.

The process involves a few straightforward steps:

1. Define a parent class with a method: The parent class defines a method, like drive(), with general behavior for all vehicles.

2. Create a child class that inherits from the parent class: The child classes, such as Car and Truck, inherit the properties and methods of the parent class Vehicle.

3. Redefine the method in the child class: The child class provides its version of the drive() method, overriding the one in the parent class.

Also Read: Python Classes and Objects [With Examples]

Here’s a simple Python method overriding example where a parent class Shape has a method area(), and the child classes Circle and Rectangle python override method it to calculate their respective areas:

# Parent class
class Shape:
    def area(self):
        pass  # Placeholder for area method

# Child class 1: Circle
class Circle(Shape):
    def __init__(self, radius):
        self.radius = radius
    
    def area(self):
        return 3.14 * (self.radius ** 2)

# Child class 2: Rectangle
class Rectangle(Shape):
    def __init__(self, length, width):
        self.length = length
        self.width = width
            def area(self):
        return self.length * self.width

# Instantiate objects
circle = Circle(5)
rectangle = Rectangle(4, 6)

# Calling the overridden methods
print(f"Area of Circle: {circle.area()}")     # Output: Area of Circle: 78.5
print(f"Area of Rectangle: {rectangle.area()}") # Output: Area of Rectangle: 24

After executing the code, you'll observe that the area() method behaves differently depending on the object type:

• For the circle object, circle.area() calculates the area of a circle using the formula πr².
• For the rectangle object, rectangle.area() computes the area of a rectangle using the formula length × width.

This demonstrates method overriding, where each subclass (Circle and Rectangle) provides its specific implementation of the area() method, even though both share the same method name. Such customization is essential when different behaviors are needed for methods inherited from a common superclass.

You can also use the super() function in Python to call the parent class method from within the overridden method, maintaining access to the original functionality while extending it.

In Python, the super() function allows you to access methods from the parent class even when overridden in the child class. This can be useful when calling the parent class method inside the overridden method.

Here’s an example of how super() works with method overriding:

# Parent class
class Animal:
    def sound(self):
        print("Some generic animal sound")

# Child class 1: Dog
class Dog(Animal):
    def sound(self):
        super().sound()  # Calling the parent class method
        print("Bark")

# Child class 2: Cat
class Cat(Animal):
    def sound(self):
        super().sound()  # Calling the parent class method
        print("Meow")

# Instantiate objects
dog = Dog()
cat = Cat()

# Calling the overridden methods
dog.sound()  # Output: Some generic animal sound \n Bark
cat.sound()  # Output: Some generic animal sound \n Meow

In this example: 

• The Dog and Cat classes override the sound() method. 
• The super().sound() call in both subclasses calls the sound() method from the parent Animal class before adding their specific sounds.

Applying it in the right scenarios can make your code more efficient, flexible, and maintainable. Here are some situations where method overriding can significantly enhance your programming approach:

• Customizing inherited behavior: When you need to modify the behavior of an inherited method without altering the parent class.
• Creating polymorphic behavior: When different objects (of different classes) need to implement the same method but with different functionality.
• Maintaining code flexibility: If you want your code to be adaptable and easily extendable without changing the core structure.

While super() helps extend and refine inherited functionality, it also plays a role in distinguishing between method overloading and method overriding. Let’s explore these two concepts further to see how they differ and when each should be used in Python.

What is the Difference Between Method Overloading and Method Overriding in Python

Method overloading typically occurs in statically typed languages like Java or C++, where multiple methods with the same name but different parameters can be defined. 

However, in Python, method overloading is not natively supported, and it is simulated using default arguments or variable-length argument lists. Let’s compare the two in a clear, side-by-side table:

Now that you understand the differences, use method overriding to tailor inherited behaviors in subclasses and create more flexible, maintainable code. Since Python doesn't support traditional overloading, consider using default arguments or *args and **kwargs to handle varying inputs within a single method.

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What are the Different Approaches to Override Methods with Different Parameters?

Sometimes, you might need to modify the way parameters are handled, especially when you want to pass a varying number of arguments or want to make certain parameters optional.

Overriding methods with different parameters offers great flexibility in customizing inherited methods. Let’s look at three common approaches of it:

1. Using *args: Variable-Length Positional Arguments

With *args, we can pass any number of positional arguments to a method. This is useful when you don’t know how many arguments might be passed to the method, allowing for flexibility. 

Example:

# Parent Class
class Animal:
    def speak(self, *args):
        for sound in args:
            print(f"Animal makes a {sound} sound")

# Child Class
class Dog(Animal):
    def speak(self, *args):
        print("Dog says:")
        super().speak(*args)  # Calls parent class speak method with *args
        print("Woof!")

# Instantiate object
dog = Dog()
dog.speak("bark", "growl")

Output:

Dog says:
Animal makes a bark sound
Animal makes a growl sound
Woof!

2. Using **kwargs: Variable-Length Keyword Arguments

**kwargs allows you to pass a variable number of keyword arguments to a method. It’s useful to pass named arguments to a method without specifying them upfront. 

Example: 

# Parent Class
class Animal:
    def move(self, **kwargs):
        print(f"Animal is moving {kwargs.get('direction', 'forward')}")

# Child Class
class Dog(Animal):
    def move(self, **kwargs):
        print("Dog is moving:")
        super().move(**kwargs)  # Calls parent class move method with **kwargs
        print(f"Dog is moving {kwargs.get('direction', 'forward')} with speed {kwargs.get('speed', 'normal')}")

# Instantiate object
dog = Dog()
dog.move(direction="left", speed="fast")

Output:

Dog is moving:
Animal is moving left
Dog is moving left with speed fast

3. Optional Parameters with Default Values

You can also python override method with parameters that have default values, making them optional when calling the method. This allows you to provide a more flexible interface while keeping the method signature clean.

Example: 

# Parent Class
class Animal:
    def info(self, name="Unknown", age=0):
        print(f"Animal's name is {name} and age is {age}")

# Child Class
class Dog(Animal):
    def info(self, name="Unknown", age=0, breed="Unknown"):
        super().info(name, age)  # Calls parent class info method
        print(f"Dog's breed is {breed}")

# Instantiate object
dog = Dog()
dog.info("Buddy", 3, "Labrador")

Output:

Animal's name is Buddy and age is 3
Dog's breed is Labrador

These techniques help you customize method behavior in child classes while maintaining flexibility in their acceptable parameters. 

Also Read: Command Line Arguments in Java [With Example] 

As you explore deeper, you'll see how method overriding becomes even more powerful when combined with multiple and multi-level inheritance, allowing you to extend and refine behaviors across complex class hierarchies.

Method Overriding Across Inheritance Types in Python

Inheritance is one of the cornerstones of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). It allows one class to inherit properties and methods from another, fostering reusability, maintainability, and a hierarchical relationship between classes. 

But what happens when we combine multiple inheritance or extend a class over several levels? The dynamic nature of method overriding becomes even more powerful and flexible in such scenarios.

Before we jump into what is method overriding in python, the context of multiple and multi-level inheritance, let’s first understand how inheritance works in Python.

Overview of Inheritance in Python

At its core, inheritance in Python allows a class (called the child or subclass) to inherit attributes and methods from another class (called the parent or superclass). This reduces the need for repetitive code. Inheritance comes in different forms:

• Single Inheritance: The subclass inherits from only one parent class.
• Multiple Inheritance: The subclass inherits from more than one parent class.
• Multilevel Inheritance: A class inherits from another class, which in turn inherits from yet another class.
• Hierarchical Inheritance: Multiple subclasses inherit from a single parent class.
• Hybrid Inheritance: A combination of two or more types of inheritance.

The power of method overriding in inheritance lies in how subclasses can change (override) inherited methods to suit their specific behavior while maintaining the structure defined by the parent class different types of Inheritance in Python.

Let’s see how method overriding works in both multiple and multi-level inheritance different types of Inheritance in Python.

Single Inheritance

Single inheritance involves a subclass inheriting from a single parent class. This lets the child class reuse and python override methods from that one parent, simplifying code reuse and extension. Here’s a simple example:

# Parent Class
class Vehicle:
    def start(self):
        print("Vehicle started")

# Child Class
class Car(Vehicle):
    def start(self):
        print("Car started")

# Instantiate object
car = Car()
car.start()  # Output: Car started

In the example above:
The Car class inherits from the Vehicle class.
The Car class overrides the start() method to provide its own implementation.
When calling car.start(), the overridden method in Car is executed instead of the parent’s version.

Multiple Inheritance

A class can inherit from multiple parent classes in multiple inheritance. This allows a child class to inherit features from multiple classes and python override method from all parent classes.

However, Python follows the Method Resolution Order (MRO) to determine which method to call when multiple parent classes have a method with the same name. Let’s look at an example:

# Parent Class 1
class Animal:
    def sound(self):
        print("Animal makes a sound")

# Parent Class 2
class Bird:
    def sound(self):
        print("Bird chirps")

# Child Class
class Parrot(Animal, Bird):
    def sound(self):
        print("Parrot squawks")

# Instantiate object
parrot = Parrot()
parrot.sound()  # Output: Parrot squawks

In the example above:

• The Parrot class inherits from both the Animal and Bird classes.
• Even though both parent classes define a sound() method, the Parrot class overrides it to provide its implementation.
• When we call parrot.sound(), the Parrot class’s version of sound() is invoked.

Python uses the MRO to decide which method to execute, but in this case, the child class explicitly overrides the method.

Multilevel Inheritance

In multilevel inheritance, a class inherits from another class, which in turn inherits from another class, forming a chain of inheritance. This adds another layer of complexity but also provides a powerful mechanism for modifying and extending inherited functionality.

Let’s look at how method overriding works in a multilevel inheritance hierarchy.

# Grandparent Class
class Animal:
    def sound(self):
        print("Animal makes a sound")

# Parent Class
class Mammal(Animal):
    def sound(self):
        print("Mammal makes a sound")

# Child Class
class Dog(Mammal):
    def sound(self):
        print("Dog barks")

# Instantiate object
dog = Dog()
dog.sound()  # Output: Dog barks

In the example:

• The Dog class inherits from Mammal, which in turn inherits from Animal.
• Although Animals and Mammals have sound() methods, the Dog class overrides the sound() method to specify its unique behavior.

Hierarchical Inheritance

Hierarchical inheritance occurs when multiple subclasses inherit from a single parent class. Each subclass can override or add methods to customize its behavior. Consider this example:

# Parent Class
class Vehicle:
    def move(self):
        print("Vehicle is moving")
# Child Class 1
class Car(Vehicle):
    def move(self):
        print("Car is driving")
# Child Class 2
class Bike(Vehicle):
    def move(self):
        print("Bike is pedaling")
# Instantiate objects
car = Car()
bike = Bike()
car.move()  # Output: Car is driving
bike.move()  # Output: Bike is pedaling

In the example above:
Both Car and Bike inherit from Vehicle.
Each subclass overrides the move() method with a version specific to its behavior.
Calling move() on each object runs the subclass-specific method.

Hybrid Inheritance

Hybrid inheritance combines two or more types of inheritance to provide complex and flexible class relationships. It can include multiple and multilevel inheritance in the same hierarchy. Here's an example combining multiple and multilevel inheritance:

# Parent Class
class LivingThing:
    def breathe(self):
        print("Breathing")

# Parent Class 2
class Animal(LivingThing):
    def sound(self):
        print("Animal makes a sound")

# Parent Class 3
class Bird(LivingThing):
    def fly(self):
        print("Bird is flying")

# Child Class
class Bat(Animal, Bird):
    def sound(self):
        print("Bat screeches")

# Instantiate object
bat = Bat()
bat.breathe()  # Output: Breathing
bat.sound()    # Output: Bat screeches
bat.fly()      # Output: Bird is flying

In this example:
Bat inherits from both Animal and Bird (multiple inheritance) which both inherit from LivingThing (multilevel inheritance).
Bat overrides the sound() method from Animal.
The Bat class has access to methods from both Animal and Bird, showing hybrid inheritance.

Difference Between Function and Method in Python

Also Read: Polymorphism vs Inheritance in Java: Key Differences [2025]

This dynamic capability of method overriding enhances code reusability and adaptability, making it easier to implement and maintain complex systems. Now, let's look at the key benefits of using method overriding in your code.

What are the Benefits of Method Overriding in Python?

Understanding the benefits of method overriding in Python is crucial for writing clean, efficient, and scalable code. In real-life applications like payment systems or game engines, method overriding lets you extend functionality without disrupting the existing codebase. 

Let’s break down how it benefits you as a developer.

Now that you've grasped method overriding, take action by refactoring a small project where you can replace redundant code with overridden methods. Focus on customizing behavior for subclasses and see how it simplifies your code. 

Start experimenting with polymorphism by creating a uniform interface with overridden methods across different subclasses, and observe how it enhances flexibility. 

As you progress, apply what you've learned to real-world projects like inventory systems or payment processors to improve modularity and make your code easier to maintain and scale.

Also Read: Top 30 Python Pattern Programs You Must Know About

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Method Overriding in Python is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming that allows you to customize inherited behavior in subclasses. While it offers great flexibility and power, many developers find it challenging to implement it effectively in real-world applications, often unsure of when and how to apply it for maximum benefit.  

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References:
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