Confusion Over Inheritance and Method Resolution Order in Python 3.9 Using Multiple Inheritance
I'm performance testing and I'm trying to implement a feature using multiple inheritance in Python 3.9, but I'm running into issues with the method resolution order (MRO)... I have a base class `Animal`, which is inherited by two subclasses, `Mammal` and `Bird`. Then, I have a subclass `Bat` that inherits from both `Mammal` and `Bird`. I'm trying to override a method `make_sound()` in both `Mammal` and `Bird`, but it seems like my calls are not resolving to the correct method. Here's a simplified version of my code: ```python class Animal: def make_sound(self): return "Some generic sound" class Mammal(Animal): def make_sound(self): return "Roar" class Bird(Animal): def make_sound(self): return "Chirp" class Bat(Mammal, Bird): def make_sound(self): return "Screech" bat = Bat() print(bat.make_sound()) # Expected: 'Screech' print(Bat.mro()) # Check method resolution order ``` When I run this code, I get the expected output for `bat.make_sound()`, which is `Screech`. However, when I check the MRO using `Bat.mro()`, I see that the order is `Bat`, `Mammal`, `Bird`, `Animal`. What confuses me is why `Bat` is resolving to `Mammal` for the `make_sound()` method instead of `Bird`, even though I only defined `make_sound()` in `Bat`. I've read about the C3 linearization algorithm for MRO, but I'm struggling to understand how it applies in this context, especially since both parent classes implement the same method. Is there a best practice regarding overriding methods in multiple inheritance scenarios? I'd appreciate any insights or advice on how to better handle this situation or if I should structure my classes differently. Thanks! Could this be a known issue? This is for a desktop app running on Linux.