Can you return a class from a function in Python?
In Python, all entities are objects, allowing functions to return not just numerical types like int, float, or complex values, but also collections (list, tuple, dictionary, set), custom objects, classes, functions, and even modules or packages.
Let’s Dive Into Python Functions and Classes First π
In Python, functions and classes are important building blocks for creating reusable code. To understand their interaction, we will explore the concepts and provide examples for better comprehension.
π‘ A function is a block of reusable code that performs a specific task. Functions help to break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable tasks. Functions accept inputs (as arguments), process these inputs, and return a value.
In Python, functions are defined using the def
keyword. Let’s check out a simple function example:
def greet(name): return f"Hello, {name}!"
π‘ A class is a blueprint for creating objects. It defines a set of attributes and methods that the objects created from the class will have. In Python, classes are defined using the class
keyword. Methods are functions within a class and are used to perform operations with attributes of the objects created from the class.
Here’s a basic class with a method:
class Dog: def __init__(self, name, age): self.name = name self.age = age def bark(self): print(f"{self.name} says woof!")
Now let’s see how functions and classes interact in Python. Consider a situation where we want to return a class instance from a function. In this case, we would define the function to create a new instance of the class with the required parameters and return it:
def create_dog(name, age): return Dog(name, age) new_dog = create_dog("Buddy", 3) new_dog.bark()
In the above example, the create_dog
function creates a new Dog
instance and returns it. The returned instance is then assigned to the new_dog
variable, and we can call the bark
method on it.
Another interaction involves calling a function from within a class method to perform a specific operation:
def calculate_dog_age(human_age): return human_age * 7 class Dog: def __init__(self, name, age): self.name = name self.age = age def get_dog_age(self): dog_age = calculate_dog_age(self.age) return f"{self.name} is {dog_age} dog years old." buddy = Dog("Buddy", 4) print(buddy.get_dog_age())
In this example, the get_dog_age
method calls the calculate_dog_age
function and returns the result in a formatted string. This demonstrates the ability to use functions together with classes and methods to create flexible, reusable code in Python.
Creating a Class Factory Function
Customizing Classes with Arguments
A class factory function is a function in Python that creates and returns a new class with customized behavior based on the input arguments. This is particularly useful when you want to create multiple classes with similar behavior but different configurations.
Let’s take a look at an example:
def class_factory(base_class, multiplier): class DerivedClass(base_class): def __init__(self, x): super().__init__(x) self.value *= multiplier return DerivedClass
In the code above, the class_factory
takes two arguments – a base_class
and a multiplier
. It then defines a new class DerivedClass
that inherits from the base_class
. The __init__
method of this new class modifies the value
attribute of the instances by multiplying it with the given multiplier
.
If you generally struggle with all these terms, I highly recommend you check out our full guide on Python classes: π
π‘ Recommended: Introduction to Python Classes
Using the Factory Function to Create Instances
Now let’s see how to use this factory function to create instances of the derived classes:
class Base: def __init__(self, x): self.value = x # Create two derived classes with different multipliers TimesTwoClass = class_factory(Base, 2) TimesThreeClass = class_factory(Base, 3) # Create instances of the derived classes instance1 = TimesTwoClass(5) instance2 = TimesThreeClass(5) print(instance1.value) # Output: 10 print(instance2.value) # Output: 15
Here, we define a base class Base
, and then use the class_factory
function to create two new classes – TimesTwoClass
and TimesThreeClass
. Both of them inherit from Base
, but they have different multipliers for the value attribute. Finally, we create instances of these classes and print their value
attributes to see the effect of the multipliers.
Inheritance and Subclasses
Inheritance in Python allows us to create new classes by extending the functionality of existing ones, which in turn helps to write more reusable, modular code. In this section, we will discuss how inheritance and subclasses work in Python, including extending class functionality and overriding methods.
Extending Class Functionality
In Python, subclasses can inherit attributes and methods from their base classes. By doing this, code duplication can be minimized and a clean, hierarchical class structure can be created.

Here’s a simple example demonstrating how inheritance works:
class Animal: def speak(self): return "I don't know what I say!" class Dog(Animal): pass my_dog = Dog() print(my_dog.speak()) # Output: I don't know what I say!
In this example, the Dog
class inherits the speak
method from the Animal
base class. Although the Dog
class doesn’t have its own speak
method, it can access the method from its parent (or base) class.
Overriding Methods
Sometimes, you might need to modify the behavior of a method that was inherited from a base class. This process is called “overriding” and can be done by defining a method with the same name in the subclass.
Here’s an example:
class Animal: def speak(self): return "I don't know what I say!" class Dog(Animal): def speak(self): return "Woof!" my_dog = Dog() print(my_dog.speak()) # Output: Woof!
In this case, the Dog
subclass has its own speak
method, which overrides the one inherited from the Animal
base class. When the speak
method is called on an instance of the Dog
class, the redefined method within the subclass is executed, producing the desired output.
Returning Class Objects in Functions
In Python, you can return class objects from functions just like any other data type. This can be useful in situations where you need to create an instance of a specific class based on certain inputs or conditions. When a function returns a class object, it gives you a flexible way to create new instances of the class.
To do this, simply define a function that returns a class object as its return value. Within the function, you can create an instance of the class and return it.

Here’s an example where I create a new Person … in Python: πΆ
class Person: def __init__(self, name, age): self.name = name self.age = age def __str__(self): return f"{self.name}, {self.age} years old" def create_person(name, age): return Person(name, age) person = create_person("Alice", 30) print(person) # Output: Alice, 30 years old
In this example, we defined a Person
class that takes two arguments in its constructor, namely name
and age
. The __str__
method is implemented to return a formatted string representation of the Person
object. We also created a create_person
function that takes the same two arguments and returns a new Person
object. You can then use the create_person
function to create and manipulate instances of the Person
class.
Code readability can be improved by using function annotations and return type hints, which provide documentation on the expected input types and return value.
Here’s a modified example with annotations:
from typing import Type class Person: # ... (keep the same implementation as before) def create_person(name: str, age: int) -> Type[Person]: return Person(name, age) person = create_person("Alice", 30) print(person) # Output: Alice, 30 years old
In this version, we added type hints to the create_person
function, indicating that the name
parameter should be a string, the age
parameter should be an integer, and the function should return an instance of the Person
class. This enhances the clarity of the function’s purpose and usage.
Class and Instance Variables
In Python, variables in classes can be classified as class variables and instance variables. Class variables are shared among all instances of a class and are defined within the class but outside of any instance method. In contrast, instance variables are unique to each instance and are defined within instance methods.
π‘ Recommended: Class vs Instance Variables in Python
Here’s an example to understand the difference between the two:
class ExampleClass: class_variable = 0 def __init__(self, instance_variable): self.instance_variable = instance_variable ExampleClass.class_variable += 1
In this code snippet, class_variable
is a class variable, and instance_variable
is an instance variable.
Namespace and scope are vital concepts to understand when dealing with class and instance variables. A namespace is a mapping of variable names to their corresponding values, and the scope determines the visibility of a variable within code blocks.
A class has its own namespace, which contains class variables. Similarly, each instance has its own namespace containing instance variables. When a variable is accessed, Python first checks the instance namespace. If not found, it checks the class namespace and then its parent class(es) if it’s not found at the class level. This hierarchy is known as attribute resolution.
Here’s an example illustrating namespace and attribute resolution:
class MyClass: class_var = "Class variable" def __init__(self, instance_var): self.instance_var = instance_var obj1 = MyClass("Instance variable for obj1") obj2 = MyClass("Instance variable for obj2") print(obj1.class_var) # Output: "Class variable" print(obj1.instance_var) # Output: "Instance variable for obj1" print(obj2.instance_var) # Output: "Instance variable for obj2"
In this example, obj1
and obj2
both have the class_var
attribute because it is a class variable, while their instance_var
attributes have different values.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do class methods work in Python?
In Python, class methods are functions defined within a class that operate on instances of that class. They have access to the instance’s attributes and methods. To define a class method, you simply use the def
keyword inside the class. The first parameter is typically called self
, which references the instance of the class. Here’s an example:
class MyClass: def my_method(self): print("Hello, World!")
What is the return type of a class method?
The return type of a class method in Python is determined by the value you return using the return
keyword. You can return any data type, such as integers, strings, lists, or even instances of other classes. If no return statement is provided, the method returns None
by default.
class MyClass: def get_sum(self, a, b): return a + b
How to use ‘self’ in Python class methods?
The self
keyword is used in class methods to refer to the current instance of the class. It allows you to access and modify instance variables, as well as call other methods of the class. Here’s an example:
class MyClass: def __init__(self, name): self.name = name def greet(self): print("Hello, " + self.name)
What is the purpose of a @classmethod
decorator?
The @classmethod
decorator is used to define a method that belongs to the class itself, rather than instances of the class. Class methods take a reference to their class (typically called cls
) as their first parameter and can access class-level attributes. They do not have access to instance-specific data, and you can call them on the class itself without creating an instance.
class MyClass: my_class_variable = 10 @classmethod def print_class_variable(cls): print(cls.my_class_variable)
How to create a class factory in Python?
A class factory is a function that dynamically generates classes during runtime. It’s useful when you want to create classes with similar behavior but different configurations. Here’s an example:
def create_class(class_name, greeting): class NewClass: def greet(self): print(greeting) NewClass.__name__ = class_name return NewClass HelloClass = create_class("HelloClass", "Hello, World!") hello_instance = HelloClass() hello_instance.greet()
How to return a string from a class method?
To return a string from a class method, simply use the return
keyword followed by the string value. Here’s an example:
class MyClass: def get_greeting(self): return "Hello, World!"
Check out our guide on Python classes on the Finxter blog to keep learning and improving your skills:
π‘ Recommended: Introduction to Python Classes