Classes, Objects & Memory

How Python classes and instances live in memory — __dict__, the __class__ pointer, and the method-lookup chain

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steps

Act 1 of 8·The Blueprint

step 1

Speednormal

When Python runs a class statement, it creates ONE object in memory: the class itself. A class is not a template that gets stamped out — it is a live object that holds the shared machinery: the methods, and any class-level attributes. Here Point holds __init__, move, and a class attribute kind.

Object model

Class objectholds methods

Instance__dict__ + __class__

Instance datashadows class

Lookup chaininstance → class

self= the instance

Active Recall

Question 1 / 3

Where do an instance's methods physically live?

Under the Hood

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Classes, Objects & Memory

Classes, Objects & Memory