Question 1

__repr__ vs __str__

Accepted Answer

When Python needs `__str__` and the class does not define it, the lookup falls back to `__repr__`. This means defining only `__repr__` covers both the developer view (REPL, `repr()`) and the user-facing view (`print()`, `str()`). The reverse is not true: defining only `__str__` still leaves `repr()` showing the default `<ClassName object at 0x...>` output.

Question 2

Class vs instance attribute lookup

Accepted Answer

The class attribute `count` stays 0 because the assignment in `__init__` creates a brand-new instance attribute on `c`, shadowing the class attribute for that object only. Accessing `Counter.count` still finds the original class-level value. The instance and the class each have their own `count` at this point.

Question 3

Role of __init__ and self

Accepted Answer

Every instance method receives the calling object as its first argument, and by convention that parameter is named `self`. Python passes it automatically - you never include it when calling the method, only when defining it. Without `self`, an instance method would have no way to read or modify the object's own attributes.