Objects and Attributes

An object is a value. Many objects carry named parts called attributes.

You read an attribute with a dot:

config.learning_rate

The expression says: from the object named config, read the attribute named learning_rate.

Dictionaries versus attributes

A dictionary uses keys:

An object uses attributes:

print(config.learning_rate)

Both styles name data. Dictionaries are flexible. Objects can make a fixed shape more explicit.

Many values in Python are objects

Strings have methods:

Lists have methods:

In both examples, the dot asks the object for something attached to it.

Attribute errors

If an attribute does not exist, Python raises AttributeError:

The useful question is:

What kind of object is this, and what attributes or methods does it actually have?

Use type(value) when you are unsure.

config.epochs