super(SubClass, self).__init__(...)

Consider using *args and **kw if it helps solving your variable nightmare.

Answer from user2665694 on Stack Overflow
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Vlabs
python-iitk.vlabs.ac.in › exp › constructors-and-inheritance › theory.html
Constructor and Inheritance - Python Programming Lab
Inheritance is a feature that says if you define a new class giving a reference of some other class then due to inheriting property of python your new class will inherit all attributes and behavior of the parent class. A Constructor is a special kind of method that have same name as the class ...
Discussions

How to handle inheritance so methods called in constructors dont overwrite between parent and child?
The extending class should probably call super().__init__ later if it also modifies validate_constructor. class Child(Parent): def __init__(self, a, b, c): self.b = b self.c = c super().__init__(a) Alternatively, you can make a private copy of your validate_constructor to call in your constructor. This way, your parent constructor only calls its version of validate_constructor -- not the one overwritten in the subclass. This is one of the use cases for Python's "private variables" name mangling system -- in relevant part: Name mangling is helpful for letting subclasses override methods without breaking intraclass method calls. So you could define your parent class like this: class Parent: def __init__(self, a): self.a = a self.__validate_constructor() def validate_constructor(self): ... # "private" copy local to the Parent class only __validate_constructor = validate_constructor And that will prevent the problem you have in the Child example you gave. More on reddit.com
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February 2, 2024
How do derived class constructors work in python? - Stack Overflow
Do I have to implicitly do it inside the derived class constructor? No and yes. This is consistent with the way Python handles other overridden methods - you have to explicitly call any method from the base class that's been overridden if you want that functionality to be used in the inherited ... More on stackoverflow.com
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inheritance - Calling a parent class constructor from a child class in python - Stack Overflow
I'm a bit lost on how to get the subclass to call and use the parent class constructor for name and year, while adding the new parameter degree in the subclass. ... Oh, ok, I wasn't sure and I couldn't figure out a way to test it... I see that I was correct all along... my apologies. ... Python ... More on stackoverflow.com
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Implicit initialisation of inherited attributes - Ideas - Discussions on Python.org
In Python, I have noticed that the __init__ constructor of a class does not implicitly call the __init__ constructor of its base class. Indeed, this program: class A: def __init__(self): print("A") class B(A): … More on discuss.python.org
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July 26, 2020
Top answer
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In C++, constructors are special operators. There is special syntax for calling a base class constructor:

class A { ... };

class B: public A {
public:
  B() : A() { ... }
  //  ^^^^^
};

If the base constructor is not called explicitly, the default constructor for the base class will be called automatically.

This is important for C++'s memory model and data model:

  • failing to call the base constructor could lead to uninitialised memory, and would definitely lead to UB
  • classes may or may not be default constructible, which affects how explicit you need to be

Python is a very different language. It has no concept of default constructors. It has no concept of uninitialised memory. And Python constructors are just an ordinary initialization method (well, as ordinary as a dunder-method can be). There is no special syntax for calling the base class init method, it's just the same as calling any other base class method.

This kind of fits into the general Python theme of having a minimal syntax, but complex, flexible semantics. The language doesn't force you to initialize your objects properly, just as it doesn't force you to only assign specific types to some variable. As the language itself won't help you, you have to use linters to check for common mistakes.

Note that Python's flavour of multiple inheritance makes it difficult or impossible to handle "base" class constructors automatically. If the class you are writing is one of multiple bases in a multiple inheritance hierarchy, then the super().__init__() call may not go to this classes' base but possibly to an unrelated sibling class. Handling that properly requires a conscious design effort.

Of course, the best move is not to play. As a dynamic language, there are very few circumstances where inheritance is the best solution in Python.

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W3Schools
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Python Inheritance
Python Examples Python Compiler ... Certificate Python Training ... Inheritance allows us to define a class that inherits all the methods and properties from another class....
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Python documentation
docs.python.org › 3 › tutorial › classes.html
9. Classes — Python 3.14.4 documentation
It is a mixture of the class mechanisms ... mechanism allows multiple base classes, a derived class can override any methods of its base class or classes, and a method can call the method of a base class with the same name....
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Medium
medium.com › @gauravverma.career › inheritance-in-python-a7aaf1d41971
Inheritance in Python | by Gaurav Verma | Medium
December 7, 2025 - Python Inheritance Syntax is · ... if no constructor (__init__() method) is provided in a child class, the constructor of the base (parent) class is automatically called when an object of the child class is created...
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TutorialsPoint
tutorialspoint.com › object_oriented_python › object_oriented_python_inheritance_and_ploymorphism.htm
Inheritance and Polymorphism
In Python, constructor of class used to create an object (instance), and assign the value for the attributes. Constructor of subclasses always called to a constructor of parent class to initialize value for the attributes in the parent class, ...
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GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › inheritance-in-python
Inheritance in Python - GeeksforGeeks
Emp introduces an additional attribute, role, and also overrides the display method to print the role in addition to the name and id. __init__() function is a constructor method in Python.
Published   March 25, 2025
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GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › python › calling-a-super-class-constructor-in-python
Calling a Super Class Constructor in Python - GeeksforGeeks
August 1, 2020 - So the basic idea is if any class has inherited in other class then it must have the parent class features(it's unto you if want to use you can use ) and we can add more features on them. Constructors are generally used for instantiating an object. The task of constructors is to initialize(assign values) to the data members of the class when an object of the class is created...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/learnpython › how to handle inheritance so methods called in constructors dont overwrite between parent and child?
r/learnpython on Reddit: How to handle inheritance so methods called in constructors dont overwrite between parent and child?
February 2, 2024 -

I have this class that other modules will need to import and extend. I want the class to examine the parameters it is fed during construction time to fail early.

class Parent():
    def __init__(self, a):
        self.a = a
        self.validate_constructor()

    def validate_constructor():
        if self.a <= 0
            print(msg)

class Child(Parent):

    def __init__(self, a, b, c):
        super().__init__(a)
        self.b = b
        self.c = c
        self.validate_constructor()

    def validate_constructor():
        if self.b <= 0:
            print(msg)
        if self.c <= 0:
            print(msg)

That makes sense to me, but apparently the validate_constructor in Parent is overwritten with Child’s validate_constructor, because that code will throw an issue for “no self.b” when I try to init a Child. I can always call the Parent’s validate from Parent by using ‘class.validate_constructor(self)’ but that looks horrible.

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Real Python
realpython.com › python-class-constructor
Python Class Constructors: Control Your Object Instantiation – Real Python
January 19, 2025 - Finally, calling dir() with your point instance as an argument reveals that your object inherits all the attributes and methods that regular tuples have in Python. Now you know how Python class constructors allow you to instantiate classes, so you can create concrete and ready-to-use objects in your code.
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Python Land
python.land › home › classes and objects in python › python inheritance
Python Inheritance • Python Land Tutorial
September 5, 2025 - Sometimes you want to override the inherited __init__ function. To demonstrate, we can create a Motorcycle class. Most motorcycles have a center stand. We’ll add the ability to either put it out or in on initialization: class Motorcycle(Vehicle): def __init__(self, center_stand_out = False): self.center_stand_out = center_stand_out super().__init__()Code language: Python (python) When you override the constructor, the constructor from the parent class that we inherited is not called at all.
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Delft Stack
delftstack.com › home › howto › python › python call super constructor
How to Invoke the Super Constructor of the Parent Class in Python | Delft Stack
February 2, 2024 - The parent and child classes have setters and getters for all its attributes. The child class inherits all the attributes and the methods of the parent class. This statement super().__init__(name, age, gender) invoked the Person class’s ...
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DigitalOcean
digitalocean.com › community › tutorials › understanding-class-inheritance-in-python-3
Understanding Class Inheritance in Python 3 | DigitalOcean
August 20, 2021 - One way that object-oriented programming achieves recyclable code is through inheritance, when one subclass can leverage code from another base class. This tutorial will go through some of the major aspects of inheritance in Python, including how parent classes and child classes work, how to override methods and attributes, how to use the super() function, and how to make use of multiple inheritance.
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Medium
medium.com › learning-python-programming-language › python-object-python-constructors-python-inheritance-multilevel-inheritance-multiple-73b02d249767
Python Object, Python Constructors, Python Inheritance — Multilevel Inheritance, Multiple… | by Pravallika Devireddy | Learning Python programming language | Medium
September 30, 2020 - Python protects those members by internally changing the name to include the class name. You can access such attributes as object.__classname__attrname. If you would replace your last line as following, ... A class can be derived from more than one base classes. In multiple inheritance, the features of all the base classes are inherited into the derived class.
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Python
mail.python.org › pipermail › tutor › 2003-May › 022769.html
[Tutor] calling the constructor of an inherited class
September 6, 2013 - > class A: > def __init__(self,name): > self.name=name > > class B(A): > def __init__(self, name, address): ## added address parameter > A.__init__(self,name) > self.address=address > > me = B('Don','12345 Main St') > > print me.name > print me.address > > >>> Don > >>> 12345 Main St > > HTH, > Don > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org > http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor · Previous message: [Tutor] calling the constructor of an inherited class
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Python.org
discuss.python.org › ideas
Implicit initialisation of inherited attributes - Ideas - Discussions on Python.org
July 26, 2020 - In Python, I have noticed that the __init__ constructor of a class does not implicitly call the __init__ constructor of its base class. Indeed, this program: class A: def __init__(self): print("A") class B(A): def __init__(self): print("B") b = B() outputs: B This contrasts with C++ for which the constructor of a class implicitly calls the default constructor of its base class.
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Real Python
realpython.com › python-super
Supercharge Your Classes With Python super() – Real Python
August 16, 2024 - Because the Square and Rectangle .__init__() methods are so similar, you can simply call the superclass’s .__init__() method (Rectangle.__init__()) from that of Square by using super(). This sets the .length and .width attributes even though you just had to supply a single length parameter to the Square constructor. When you run this, even though your Square class doesn’t explicitly implement it, the call to .area() will use the .area() method in the superclass and print 16. The Square class inherited .area() from the Rectangle class. Note: To learn more about inheritance and object-oriented concepts in Python, be sure to check out Inheritance and Composition: A Python OOP Guide and Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) in Python.