The super() function is a built-in function in Python and a keyword in Java that allows you to call methods from a parent class. It is primarily used in the context of inheritance to access and invoke methods of a superclass (parent class) from a subclass (child class). This is particularly useful when you want to extend or override the functionality of a parent class while still utilizing its original implementation.

super() in Python

In Python, super() is commonly used in the __init__() method of a subclass to call the constructor of its parent class. This ensures that the parent class’s initialization logic is executed before any subclass-specific initialization. It also plays a crucial role in multiple inheritance scenarios.

“None of the kids have ever helped with any of his care – and his health has been very poor for the last five years.”

When dealing with multiple inheritance, Python uses Method Resolution Order (MRO) to determine the order in which base classes are searched for a method. the super() function follows this MRO to find the next class in the hierarchy that defines the method being called [[1]].

super() in Java

In Java, super() is used to call the constructor of the superclass or to access members (fields and methods) of the superclass.When a subclass constructor doesn’t explicitly call a superclass constructor, Java automatically inserts a call to the no-argument constructor of the superclass [[2]].However, if the superclass only defines constructors with arguments, the subclass must explicitly call one of them using super(arguments).

The super keyword can also be used to refer to a member of the superclass, allowing you to access fields or methods that might be hidden by a member with the same name in the subclass [[3]].