Stateful classes in Python using Ruby-like eigenclasses with mixins.

fancy-state.py

class T:
    """
    Descendant of `object` that rectifies `__new__` overriding.

    This class is intended to be listed as the last base class (just
    before the implicit `object`).  It is a part of a workaround for

      * https://bugs.python.org/issue36827
    """
    __slots__ = ()

    @staticmethod
    def __new__(cls, *_args, **_kwargs):
        return object.__new__(cls)


class Stateful:
    """
    Abstract base class (or mixin) for "stateful" classes.

    Subclasses must implement `InitState` mixin.
    """

    __slots__ = ()

    @staticmethod
    def __new__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
        # XXX: see https://stackoverflow.com/a/9639512
        class CurrentStateProxy(cls.InitState):
            __slots__ = ()

            @staticmethod
            def _set_state(state_cls=cls.InitState):
                __class__.__bases__ = (state_cls,)

        class Eigenclass(CurrentStateProxy, cls):
            __slots__ = ()
            __new__ = None  # just in case

        return super(__class__, cls).__new__(Eigenclass, *args, **kwargs)


# XXX: see https://bugs.python.org/issue36827 for the reason for `T`.
class StatefulThing(Stateful, T):
    __slots__ = ("name", "hello_count", "goodbye_count")

    class StateA:
        """First state mixin."""

        __slots__ = ()

        def say_hello(self):
            self._say("Hello!")
            self.hello_count += 1
            self._set_state(self.StateB)
            return True

        def say_goodbye(self):
            self._say("Another goodbye?")
            return False

    class StateB:
        """Second state mixin."""

        __slots__ = ()

        def say_hello(self):
            self._say("Another hello?")
            return False

        def say_goodbye(self):
            self._say("Goodbye!")
            self.goodbye_count += 1
            self._set_state(self.StateA)
            return True

    # This one is required by `Stateful`.
    class InitState(StateA):
        """Third state mixin -- the initial state."""

        __slots__ = ()

        def say_goodbye(self):
            self._say("Why?")
            return False

    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name
        self.hello_count = self.goodbye_count = 0

    def _say(self, message):
        print("{}: {}".format(self.name, message))

    def say_hello_followed_by_goodbye(self):
        self.say_hello() and self.say_goodbye()


# ----------
# ## Demo ##
# ----------
if __name__ == "__main__":
    t1 = StatefulThing("t1")
    t2 = StatefulThing("t2")
    print("> t1, say hello.")
    t1.say_hello()
    print("> t2, say goodbye.")
    t2.say_goodbye()
    print("> t2, say hello.")
    t2.say_hello()
    print("> t1, say hello.")
    t1.say_hello()
    print("> t1, say hello followed by goodbye.")
    t1.say_hello_followed_by_goodbye()
    print("> t2, say goodbye.")
    t2.say_goodbye()
    print("> t2, say hello followed by goodbye.")
    t2.say_hello_followed_by_goodbye()
    print("> t1, say goodbye.")
    t1.say_goodbye()
    print("> t2, say hello.")
    t2.say_hello()
    print("---")
    print( "t1 said {} hellos and {} goodbyes."
           .format(t1.hello_count, t1.goodbye_count) )
    print( "t2 said {} hellos and {} goodbyes."
           .format(t2.hello_count, t2.goodbye_count) )

    # Expected output:
    #
    #     > t1, say hello.
    #     t1: Hello!
    #     > t2, say goodbye.
    #     t2: Why?
    #     > t2, say hello.
    #     t2: Hello!
    #     > t1, say hello.
    #     t1: Another hello?
    #     > t1, say hello followed by goodbye.
    #     t1: Another hello?
    #     > t2, say goodbye.
    #     t2: Goodbye!
    #     > t2, say hello followed by goodbye.
    #     t2: Hello!
    #     t2: Goodbye!
    #     > t1, say goodbye.
    #     t1: Goodbye!
    #     > t2, say hello.
    #     t2: Hello!
    #     ---
    #     t1 said 1 hellos and 1 goodbyes.
    #     t2 said 3 hellos and 2 goodbyes.