PEP 245: Python interfaces

[Carlos Alberto Reis Ribeiro]

At 15:00 29/03/01 +0200, Alex Martelli wrote:
>Fortunately, Python eschews such subtleties (which breed their own
>complications); adopting the explicit and very clear distinction that
>Java draws between 'extending' (a class) and 'implementing' (an interface)
>seems much preferable to me than either totally blurring (in the Python
>source) this crucial distinction, or adopting C++-inspired half-remedies
>to the is-a/vs/implementation confusion.

I entirely agree with you. One of the points that keeps bugging me is that 
inheritance is not the only way to build OO systems. There are other 
techniques, such as composition, the decorator pattern, proxies, that lead 
to a more natural class hierarchy in several cases. By keeping interfaces 
distinct from the class hierarchies, we are in fact making the support of 
these approaches much simpler and straighforward.

For example, there is multiple inheritance. I know very few legitimate 
cases where it is a good idea. Composition usually attains the same 
results, but with less side effects and much better control over the 
process. Interfaces are exceptionally well suited for this kind of construct.


Carlos Ribeiro