Understanding Interfaces in Python: A Guide to Interface Implementation

Simplifying Polymorphism and Design Patterns

Max N
3 min readMar 28, 2024

Interfaces are an essential concept in object-oriented programming (OOP) that allow for the implementation of polymorphism, enabling different classes to be used interchangeably based on shared behaviors. While Python does not have built-in interface support like some other languages, such as Java, there are ways to emulate interfaces using abstract base classes (ABCs) and duck typing.

In this article, we’ll explore how interfaces work in Python, providing clear explanations and practical examples to help you understand their importance and implementation.

Introduction to Interfaces

An interface defines a contract for classes that implement it, specifying a set of methods that must be implemented by those classes. It allows for polymorphism, where objects of different classes can be treated uniformly based on shared behaviors defined by the interface.

In Python, interfaces are not a language feature like in Java or C#, but rather a concept that can be achieved through other mechanisms, such as abstract base classes (ABCs) and duck typing.

Using Abstract Base Classes (ABCs) as Interfaces

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Max N

A writer that writes about JavaScript and Python to beginners. If you find my articles helpful, feel free to follow.