How to group methods in Python class?

Question

Just started learning OOP using python so I apologise if this question comes as too simplistic and welcome any improvements to my code. I am trying to write a wrapper for an API using the requests library and SurveyMonkey's API. This is what I have so far:

class SurveyMonkey:

    def __init__(self, access_token, base_url = "https://api.surveymonkey.com"):
        self.access_token = access_token
        self.base_url = base_url
        self.headers = {
            "Authorization": f"Bearer {self.access_token}",
            "Content-Type": "application/json"
        }
        self.survey_id = str()
        self.params = dict()
    
    def get_json(self):
        return requests.get(self.url, headers=self.headers, params=self.params).json()

    def list_surveys(self):
        self.url = f"{self.base_url}/v3/surveys"
        return self.get_json()

    def get_survey(self, survey_id):
        self.survey_id = survey_id
        self.url = f"{self.base_url}/v3/surveys/{self.survey_id}"
        return self.get_json()
    
    def get_survey_details(self, survey_id):
        self.survey_id = survey_id
        self.url = f"{self.base_url}/v3/surveys/{self.survey_id}/details"
        return self.get_json()
    
    def get_survey_responses_page(self, survey_id, params=dict()):
        self.survey_id = survey_id
        self.params = params
        self.url = f"{self.base_url}/v3/surveys/{self.survey_id}/responses"
        return self.get_json()
    
    def get_survey_responses_bulk_page(self, survey_id, params=dict()):
        self.survey_id = survey_id
        self.params = params
        self.url = f"{self.base_url}/v3/surveys/{self.survey_id}/responses/bulk"
        return self.get_json()

sm = SurveyMonkey(access_token)

I have used libraries where I've noticed the methods were somehow grouped. There are a few survey API's in SurveyMonkey and was wondering if I can somehow group the last 4 methods so I could call them using something like

sm.survey.get.details(id)
sm.survey.get.response.page(id)
sm.survey.get.response.bulk(id)

I couldn't really figure out how to do this

UPDATE (Thanks Tom):

I've restructured the code as per Tom's specifications and it looks like this:

class SurveyMonkey:
    
    def __init__(self, access_token, base_url = "https://api.surveymonkey.com"):
        self.surveys = surveys(self)
        self.survey_responses = survey_responses(self)
        
        self.access_token = access_token
        self.base_url = base_url
        self.headers = {
            "Authorization": f"Bearer {self.access_token}",
            "Content-Type": "application/json"
        }
        self.survey_id = str()
        self.params = dict()
        
    def get_json(self):
        return requests.get(self.url, headers=self.headers, params=self.params).json()
        
class surveys:

    def __init__(self, parent: SurveyMonkey):
        self.parent = parent

    def list_surveys(self):
        self.parent.url = f"{self.parent.base_url}/v3/surveys"
        return self.parent.get_json()
    
    def get_survey(self, survey_id):
        self.survey_id = survey_id
        self.parent.url = f"{self.parent.base_url}/v3/surveys/{self.survey_id}"
        return self.parent.get_json()
    
    def get_survey_details(self, survey_id):
        self.survey_id = survey_id
        self.parent.url = f"{self.parent.base_url}/v3/surveys/{self.survey_id}/details"
        return self.parent.get_json()
    
class survey_responses:
    
    def __init__(self, parent:SurveyMonkey):
        self.parent = parent
        
    def list_responses(self, survey_id, params=dict()):
        self.survey_id = survey_id
        self.parent.params = params
        self.parent.url = f"{self.parent.base_url}/v3/surveys/{self.survey_id}/responses"
        return self.parent.get_json()
    
    def get_response(self, survey_id, response_id, params=dict()):
        self.survey_id = survey_id
        self.response_id = response_id
        self.parent.params = params
        self.parent.url = f"{self.parent.base_url}/v3/surveys/{self.survey_id}/responses/{response_id}"
        return self.parent.get_json()
    
    def get_response_details(self, survey_id, response_id, params=dict()):
        self.survey_id = survey_id
        self.response_id = response_id
        self.parent.params = params
        self.parent.url = f"{self.parent.base_url}/v3/surveys/{self.survey_id}/responses/{response_id}/details"
        return self.parent.get_json()
    
    def get_response_bulk(self, survey_id, params=dict()):
        self.survey_id = survey_id
        self.parent.params = params
        self.parent.url = f"{self.parent.base_url}/v3/surveys/{self.survey_id}/responses/bulk"
        return self.parent.get_json()

You would need a `survey` attribute that iself has a `get` attribute that itself has a `details` method/function. So basically nested classes/objects. Probably not worth the effort for your small class. — timgeb, Feb 03 '22 at 12:02
@timgeb or the cheeky way of hacking together recursive `__getatt__`/`__getattribute__` :) (which will only change the usage, not the implementation). again, does not worth it — DeepSpace, Feb 03 '22 at 12:03
Agree with @timgeb. Not worth it for such a small class. I would personally avoid code like that. If the case is a wrapper for an API with many endpoints, i would maybe consider nesting the get/post/put methods fx. — Martin Hansen, Feb 03 '22 at 12:07
this is just an example...the final version will have many methods hence why I wanted to group them — Andrei Budaes, Feb 03 '22 at 12:56

Tom McLean · Accepted Answer · 2022-02-03T15:04:40.327

You can do something like this:

class SurveyMonkey:

    def __init__(self):
        self.survey = Survey(self)


class Survey:

    def __init__(self, parent: SurveyMonkey):
        self.parent = parent
        self.get = Get(self)


class Get:

    def __init__(self, parent: Survey):
        self.parent = parent
        self.response = Response(self)

    def details(self, id):
        print(id)


class Response:

    def __init__(self, parent: Get):
        self.parent = parent

    def page(self, id):
        print(id)

    def bulk(self, id):
        print(id)


sm = SurveyMonkey()
sm.survey.get.response.page(1)

Then you have to be clever about your building your request function calls, traversing the class hierarchy and building the info you need to make the request.

How to group methods in Python class?

1 Answers1