Definition of "property"

[dn]

On 31/05/2021 04.57, Irv Kalb wrote:
> I am doing some writing (for an upcoming book on OOP), and I'm a little stuck.  
> 
> I understand what a "property" is, how it is used and the benefits, but apparently my explanation hasn't made the light bulb go on for my editor.  The editor is asking for a definition of property.  I've looked at many articles on line and a number of books, and I haven't found an appropriate one yet.
> 
> I have written some good examples of how it works, but I agree that a definition up front would be helpful.  I have tried a number of times, but my attempts to define it have not been clear.  Perhaps the best I've found so far is from the Python documentation:  
> 
> A property object has getter, setter, and deleter methods usable as decorators that create a copy of the property with the corresponding accessor function set to the decorated function. 
> 
> But I'm hoping that someone here can give me a more concise (one or two sentence) definition of the word "property".   
> 
> (I would like to avoid going through the whole derivation with the property function, as that would distract from the points that I am trying to make.) 

+1

Everything in Python is an object. Objects can perform an
almost-unlimited range of services, fulfilling a wide variety of
purposes. A property constrains the object to more focussed functionality
...
eg an integer which may not hold a negative value, a string which may
not be empty...
-- 
Regards,
=dn