Python Coding challenge - Day 1061| What is the output of the following Python Code?

 

Code Explanation:

🔹 1️⃣ Defining Class A

class A:

Creates a class named A

Inherits from object by default

🔹 2️⃣ Overriding __getattribute__

def __getattribute__(self, name):

__getattribute__ is a special method

It is called every time ANY attribute is accessed

It intercepts all attribute lookups

⚠ Important:

This runs even before checking:

Instance attributes

Class attributes

Descriptors

MRO

🔹 3️⃣ Custom Condition

if name == "x":

    return 100

If someone tries to access attribute "x"

It immediately returns 100

Python will NOT continue normal lookup

This overrides everything.

🔹 4️⃣ Calling Parent for Other Attributes

return super().__getattribute__(name)

For all other attributes, we delegate to the normal lookup mechanism

Prevents infinite recursion

⚠ If we wrote:

return self.__dict__[name]

It could cause recursion issues.

🔹 5️⃣ Creating Object

a = A()

Creates instance a

a.__dict__ is empty initially

🔹 6️⃣ Assigning Instance Attribute

a.x = 5

This does:

Adds 'x': 5 into a.__dict__

So internally:

a.__dict__ = {'x': 5}

📌 Assignment does NOT use __getattribute__

It uses normal attribute setting.

🔹 7️⃣ Accessing a.x

print(a.x)

Here is what happens:

Step-by-step execution:

Python calls:

a.__getattribute__("x")

Inside __getattribute__

name == "x" → True

Immediately returns:

100

It NEVER checks:

a.__dict__

class attributes

MRO

descriptors

✅ Final Output

100

700 Days Python Coding Challenges with Explanation