@property Decorator in Python

@property Decorator in Python

Introduction:
The @property decorator in Python is a powerful tool used to create read-only properties for class attributes. It allows us to define getter methods for these attributes, enabling access to their values without directly exposing the underlying attribute.

Usage:
To use the @property decorator, you need to define a method with the same name as the attribute you want to access, and annotate it with @property. The method will be used as a getter for that attribute.

Syntax:

python
class MyClass:
    def __init__(self):
        self._my_attribute = None

    @property
    def my_attribute(self):
        return self._my_attribute

Explanation:
In the above example, we have a class MyClass with a private attribute _my_attribute. We want to access this attribute through a read-only property, so we define a method my_attribute and decorate it with @property. Now, whenever we try to access my_attribute, it will call the my_attribute method and return the value of _my_attribute.

Example:

python
class Circle:
    def __init__(self, radius):
        self._radius = radius

    @property
    def radius(self):
        return self._radius

    @property
    def area(self):
        return 3.14 * self._radius * self._radius

# Usage
circle = Circle(5)
print("Radius:", circle.radius) # Output: 5
print("Area:", circle.area)     # Output: 78.5

In the example above, we have a class Circle with a private attribute _radius. By using @property, we can access the radius attribute using the circle.radius syntax. Similarly, we have another property area that calculates and returns the area of the circle based on its radius.

Conclusion:
The @property decorator in Python provides an elegant way to control access to class attributes by defining custom getter methods. It enhances code readability and maintainability by encapsulating attribute access logic.