Python 3 - Second Edition

19.2    Classes

Objects are created via classes. A class is a formal description of the structure of an object, which states what attributes and methods it has.

Using a class alone doesn’t make much sense, however: It only represents the description of an object type; it is not an object itself.[ 89 ] You can compare the relationship between a class and object with that between a baking recipe and a cake. The recipe defines the ingredients and the manufacturing process of a cake and thus its characteristics. Nevertheless, a recipe alone is not enough to invite relatives to share a delicious cake on a Sunday afternoon. Only during the baking process does the abstract description become a finished cake.

Another name for an object is an instance ...