Duck Typing is a type system used in dynamic languages. For example, Python, Perl, Ruby, PHP, Javascript, etc. where the type or the class of an object is less important than the method it defines. Using Duck Typing, we do not check types at all. Instead, we check for the presence of a given method or attribute.
The name Duck Typing comes from the phrase:
“If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck”
Example:
# Python program to demonstrate# duck typing class Specialstring: def __len__(self): return 21 # Driver's codeif __name__ == "__main__": string = Specialstring() print(len(string)) |
Output:
21
In this case, we call method len() gives the return value from __len__ method. Here __len__ method defines the property of the class Specialstring
The object’s type itself is not significant in this we do not declare the argument in method prototypes. This means that compilers can not do type-checking. Therefore, what really matters is if the object has particular attributes at run time. Duck typing is hence implemented by dynamic languages. But now some of the static languages like Haskell also supports it. But, Java/C# doesn’t have this ability yet.
Example: Now, lets look demonstrates how an object be used in any other circumstances until it is not supported.
# Python program to demonstrate# duck typing class Bird: def fly(self): print("fly with wings") class Airplane: def fly(self): print("fly with fuel") class Fish: def swim(self): print("fish swim in sea") # Attributes having same name are# considered as duck typingfor obj in Bird(), Airplane(), Fish(): obj.fly() |
Output:
fly with wings fly with fuel
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/home/854855e5570b9ce4a9e984209b6a1c21.py", line 20, in
obj.fly()
AttributeError: 'Fish' object has no attribute 'fly'
In this example, we can see a class supports some method we can modify it or give them new functionality. Duck-typing emphasis what the object can really do, rather than what the object is.
