Object-Oriented Programming for Data Science Developers [In-Depth]

programming
in-depth
Author

Maciej Nasinski

Published

January 1, 2025

TL;DR For developers creating their own data science libraries or packages, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is fundamental for structuring and maintaining complex solutions. By examining OOP elements and design patterns in widely used Python libraries like scikit-learn and pandas, you can gain valuable insights into how object-oriented design promotes modularity, maintainability, and robustness in data science applications. Incorporating diagrams into your OOP design process enhances communication, helps identify design flaws early, and ensures clarity for all stakeholders. Ultimately, the choice to use OOP, another programming paradigm, or a combination of both should be driven by your project’s specific requirements, the nature of your data, and your development team’s preferences. AI assistant (like ChatGPT) cannot help to provide a quality project solution without a solid design, and a solid design cannot be created without a thorough understanding and knowledge from the development team.

Difference in Language and Syntax vs. Way of Thinking

When diving into Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) or any programming paradigm, it’s easy to get caught up in the nuances of syntax and language-specific implementations. However, what truly matters is not the programming language you choose or its specific syntax, but rather the underlying way of thinking that drives your approach to solving problems.

The principles of OOP, such as encapsulation, abstraction, inheritance, and polymorphism, are universal. They represent a mindset of organizing code around entities and their interactions. Whether you’re implementing these concepts in Python, Java, or C++, the core thought process remains consistent. What changes are the tools and syntax used to express these ideas. For example:

  • A Python class may use the __init__ method for initialization, while a Java class uses a constructor with the same name as the class.
  • Access modifiers in Python rely on naming conventions (e.g., _protected or __private), whereas Java explicitly enforces them with public, protected, and private keywords.

These differences are superficial compared to the deeper design philosophy underpinning OOP.

Regardless of the language or syntax, programming is fundamentally about solving problems.
OOP enables you to think about problems in terms of objects that interact with each other—objects that encapsulate both data and behavior. This mental model remains unchanged across languages. By internalizing these core principles, switching between languages becomes a matter of learning new tools, not rethinking your approach.

For data science developers, the ability to translate abstract data science workflows into clean, reusable, and scalable code is crucial.
In essence, language and syntax are secondary; it’s the clarity, adaptability, and scalability of your thought process that will determine your success as a developer.

Introduction to OOP

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm that organizes code around self-contained entities called objects. Each object models some concept or real-world entity, bundling data (attributes) with the behaviors (methods) that operate on that data. By structuring code in this manner, OOP aims to enhance maintainability, reusability, and scalability, especially in larger or more complex applications.

OOP aligns with how we naturally perceive the world: distinct entities (e.g., a sensor, a bank account, a simulation component) each with its own data and behaviors. Mapping these real-world ideas to software objects makes systems more intuitive to design, reason about, and evolve over time.

Core OOP Concepts

A class is a blueprint or template defining what data (attributes) and methods (behaviors) its instances will have. For example, a Car class might define attributes like color, make, and current_speed, as well as methods like start_engine(), accelerate(), and brake(). Classes provide the structural foundation for objects.
An object is a concrete instantiation of a class. If Car is the blueprint, an actual Car object (e.g., my_car = Car("red", "Toyota")) is the real “thing” in memory. Each object carries its own state (attribute values) and can invoke the methods defined by the class. Multiple objects from the same class can coexist, each with unique data.
Encapsulation keeps data (attributes) and behaviors (methods) in one cohesive unit (the object) while restricting direct access to the internal state. This often involves visibility rules (e.g., public methods, private attributes). By providing a clear interface to interact with an object’s data, encapsulation promotes robustness and clarity.
Inheritance allows you to create new classes (child or subclass) from existing ones (parent or superclass). The child class automatically gains the attributes and methods of its parent, enabling code reuse and a logical hierarchy. For instance, a SportsCar class might inherit from Car but add specialized attributes like horsepower or override the accelerate() method.
Polymorphism enables objects of different classes within a shared hierarchy to be treated uniformly. Typically, a common interface or a set of methods can be called without knowing the specific subclass. For example, a Vehicle interface might define start_engine(), and both Car and Motorcycle implement it differently. Polymorphism yields flexible and easily extensible code.
Abstraction involves hiding lower-level details and exposing only what’s necessary for others to use. For example, a DatabaseConnection class might have methods such as connect(), query(), and disconnect(), shielding details about network protocols and transaction handling. This simplification makes the codebase more comprehensible and maintainable.

Additional Modern OOP Considerations

While inheritance is powerful, many modern OOP designs favor composition (assembling or “composing” objects from other objects) for greater flexibility. Composition can reduce the tight coupling that sometimes arises with deep inheritance hierarchies and facilitate clearer abstractions.
Many teams rely on design patterns proven solutions to recurring design problems (e.g., Strategy, Observer, Factory). Patterns build on OOP principles to address challenges in object creation, communication, and organization.
OOP practitioners often reference the SOLID principles to keep systems organized and maintainable:
  • Single Responsibility Principle: Each class should address one specific concern.
  • Open/Closed Principle: Classes should be open for extension but closed to modification.
  • Liskov Substitution Principle: Subclasses should be substitutable for their parent classes without breaking functionality.
  • Interface Segregation Principle: Avoid forcing clients to depend on interfaces they do not use.
  • Dependency Inversion Principle: Depend on abstractions, not on concrete implementations.

By mastering these core OOP concepts and remaining mindful of modern best practices (including composition over inheritance, design patterns, and SOLID guidelines), you can build software that is straightforward to develop, debug, and extend. Whether your project is small or large-scale, OOP fosters logical organization, team collaboration, and long-term maintainability.

Please access wikipedia page for more details and references.

Programming Paradigms

Programming paradigms are fundamental approaches to structuring and organizing code, each offering distinct philosophies and methodologies for solving problems. Beyond Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), which organizes code around objects that encapsulate data and behaviors to enhance maintainability and scalability, other paradigms include Functional Programming (FP) that emphasizes pure functions and immutability, Procedural Programming which focuses on procedures or routines, Declarative Programming that specifies what the program should accomplish without detailing how, and Logic Programming which relies on formal logic to express facts and rules. While procedural programming is effective for straightforward, linear tasks, it is generally less suitable for creating reusable and maintainable libraries compared to OOP and FP, which provide structures that promote modularity and scalability essential for library development. Additionally, there are other paradigms such as Event-Driven, Reactive, and Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) that cater to specific use cases and requirements. Understanding these paradigms, particularly OOP, equips data scientists with the versatility to create efficient, readable, and adaptable code tailored to diverse data science challenges. For a comprehensive overview of programming paradigms, refer to the Wikipedia page on Programming Paradigm. Python’s support for multiple paradigms allows data scientists to leverage the strengths of each approach, whether by using OOP for building scalable data pipelines, FP for efficient data transformations, or blending both to create robust and maintainable data science solutions.

In the realm of software development, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and Functional Programming (FP) represent two popular distinct paradigms, each with its own philosophies, strengths, and ideal use cases. Ultimately, the choice between OOP and FP, or the decision to combine them, depends on the specific requirements of your project, the nature of the data you’re handling, and the preferences of your development team. By understanding the core principles and benefits of each paradigm, you can make informed decisions that enhance your data science workflows and contribute to the creation of robust, efficient, and maintainable software solutions. Python’s flexibility allows data scientists to leverage the strengths of both paradigms, often blending OOP and FP to create hybrid solutions that maximize efficiency and maintainability. For instance, using OOP to structure a data pipeline while employing FP techniques for data transformations can yield highly readable and scalable code.

Python OOP

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) in Python is built into the language, making it straightforward to write maintainable and extensible code especially beneficial in data science.

If you are new to python I recommend to start with Python for Everybody Book.
The OOP chapter is especially linked with this blog post.

Basic OOP in Python

A typical Python class might look like this:

  • Class: A blueprint for creating objects, defining attributes and methods.
  • Instance (Object): A concrete “realization” of a class. Multiple objects can be created from the same class, each holding its own attribute values.
  • __init__: The initializer (constructor) that sets an object’s initial state.
  • self: A reference to the current instance, used within class methods to access attributes and other methods.

For more details, please access the open-source Think Python book. The Think Python book is often recommended for beginners.

Real-World Data Science Examples

Package: pandas.
Name: Dataset Loaders.
Scenario: Loading data from different sources (CSV, SQL, APIs).
Example: Reads data with functions like pd.read_csv, returning a DataFrame object. A DataFrame encapsulates data and provides methods (head(), info()).

Package: scikit-learn.
Name: Model Evaluation.
Scenario: Evaluating different model types (classification vs. regression) with a uniform approach.
Example: Models like LogisticRegression or RandomForestRegressor share a common Estimator interface (fit, predict). Metric functions (accuracy_score, r2_score) encapsulate specialized logic for classification or regression.
Design Patterns: e.g. Strategy - Distinct estimators (e.g., logistic vs. random forest) act as different “strategies” for learning.

Package: scikit-learn.
Name: Feature Engineering Pipelines.
Scenario: Multiple sequential transformations (e.g., imputation, encoding, scaling) before a final estimator.
Example: A Pipeline orchestrates data flow through transformers, culminating in a final estimator.
Design Patterns: e.g. Chain of Responsibility - The pipeline passes data through each transformation step in sequence. Factory - Pipeline() can build a pipeline automatically. Chain of Responsibility - (via Pipeline): Data flows through your custom transformer, then the next step, and so on.

Package: scikit-learn.
Name: Custom Transformer.
Scenario: You want to apply a specific transformation (log transform, custom encoding, etc.) before scaling or modeling, but need it to fit seamlessly into the scikit-learn pipeline workflow.
Example: Custom transformers inherit from BaseEstimator and TransformerMixin, implementing a fit() (optionally) and a transform() method. This uniform interface lets you drop them into any pipeline just like built-in transformers.
Design Patterns: e.g. Strategy - Each transformer is effectively a distinct “strategy” for transforming data. Chain of Responsibility - (via Pipeline): Data flows through your custom transformer, then the next step, and so on.

Integrate the custom transformer into a pipeline:

Package: matplotlib.
Name: Data Visualization.
Scenario: Creating object-based plots or subplots with consistent styling and method calls.
Example: Figure and Axes objects encapsulate data/state, offering methods (plot(), set_title(), etc.).
Design Patterns: e.g. Facade - plt.subplots() simplifies object creation.
Composite - A figure can have multiple Axes, each with sub-elements like lines or text.

Why These Examples Matter

  1. Consistency: scikit-learn’s Estimator interface, pandas DataFrame methods, and matplotlib’s Axes objects rely on consistent OOP constructs.
  2. Scalability: Common design patterns like Strategy, Factory, Chain of Responsibility, Template Method, Facade, Composite enable libraries to support both small demos and large-scale production systems.
  3. Collaboration: Standard method names (fit, predict, plot, log) help teams integrate each step with minimal friction.
  4. Extensibility: Adding new features like a custom transformer or specialized plotting style usually means creating a new class or subclass, not rewriting everything.

By identifying these OOP elements and design patterns in widely used Python libraries, you can better appreciate how object-oriented design fosters modular, maintainable, and powerful data science solutions.

Addressing Potential Concerns

While OOP provides structure, it can add unnecessary complexity for small or short-lived scripts. Consider starting with minimal classes and only introduce advanced OOP features as your project grows. This way, you keep simple tasks simple, while still having the option to scale up when your needs become more complex.
In Python, the additional abstraction of OOP can introduce overhead, particularly in performance-critical sections (like large loops or intensive numeric operations). Use profiling tools to pinpoint bottlenecks and optimize them selectively through vectorization, C++ extensions, or specialized data structures without sacrificing the maintainability that OOP affords.
Not everyone on your team may be familiar with OOP patterns and design principles, and some may prefer a more procedural or functional style. However, once the team experiences the clarity and extensibility that well-designed OOP brings, especially on larger or evolving projects-resistance often diminishes. Demonstrating real-world benefits, such as clearer code organization or easier feature integration, can help new adopters see the practical value.

My Experience and Approach

Working alongside my senior developer teammates, we consistently highlighted that maintaining complex, production-quality code at scale is nearly impossible without a robust Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) framework. Initially, some team members were hesitant to move away from procedural or functional approaches. However, the advantages of enhanced abstraction, maintainability, and reusability quickly won them over. Over time, I realized that fully embracing OOP is especially beneficial for large-scale or complex projects. I adhere to modern OOP principles such as composition over inheritance, which reduces coupling and fosters a more flexible architecture. While inheritance remains valuable for building structured hierarchies, composition offers clearer abstractions and facilitates incremental changes with fewer side effects. Additionally, I reference well-established design patterns and SOLID principles to reinforce stability and extensibility.

To successfully implement Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), it is essential to organize a team design meeting where you can establish a comprehensive plan, effectively distribute tasks among team members, and set clear accountability. Iterative collaboration with AI assistants like ChatGPT can significantly aid in drafting plans, seeking feedback, and refining designs until a confident and robust architecture is achieved. Once the foundational elements are in place, I develop prototypes and leverage AI-assisted reviews to explore coding alternatives and identify potential pitfalls early on. This cyclical workflow combines thoughtful design with practical, iterative feedback, ultimately resulting in more robust and production-ready solutions. It is important to recognize that an AI assistant cannot help to provide a quality project solution without a solid design, and a solid design cannot be created without a thorough understanding and knowledge from the development team.

I recommend starting with minimal classes and introducing advanced OOP features as your project evolves. This strategy keeps simple tasks straightforward while providing the scalability needed for increasing complexity. For simpler scenarios, a lightweight functional approach can often suffice, allowing teams to maintain a minimal codebase. Additionally, blending OOP and Functional Programming (FP) can create hybrid solutions that maximize both efficiency and maintainability.

Before writing any code, visualizing how your classes interact and defining their responsibilities is crucial. This visualization can involve various diagram types such as UML and User Journey to ensure clarity and alignment on requirements. Separate diagrams provide high-level overviews for stakeholders or end users, while more detailed designs (e.g., inheritance, interfaces) cater to developers. Diagrams help align everyone on responsibilities, data flow, and interactions before implementation begins. Tools like the Mermaid Live Editor enable quick iteration on class structures and relationships.

Very simple UML Mermaid class diagram example:

classDiagram
    class Dataset {
        -source: string
        -size: numeric
        +loadData()
        +showStats()
    }

classDiagram
    class Dataset {
        -source: string
        -size: numeric
        +loadData()
        +showStats()
    }

I plan to explore diagrams further in a separate post. Notably, some diagrams like User Journey can be equally useful in functional programming, facilitating clear communication and design regardless of the chosen paradigm.

Conclusion

Object-Oriented Programming remains a cornerstone for building and maintaining complex data science solutions. By identifying OOP elements and design patterns in widely used Python libraries like sklearn or pandas, you can better appreciate how object-oriented design fosters modular, maintainable, and powerful data science solutions. Ultimately, the choice between OOP and another paradigm, or the decision to combine them, depends on the specific requirements of your project, the nature of the data you’re handling, and the preferences of your development team.

Pairing diagrams with an OOP design ethos makes it easier to communicate ideas, spot design flaws early, and ensure clarity for everyone involved.

It is important to recognize that an AI assistant cannot help to provide a quality project solution without a solid design, and a solid design cannot be created without a thorough understanding and knowledge from the development team.

References & Further Reading