attributespre-defined vs programmer-supplied (contd note that in python the word attribute is used to describe any propertyvariable or method that can be invoked with the dot operator on either the class or an instance constructed from class what have mentioned above is worthy of note in case you have previously run into an object-oriented language in which distinction was made between attributes and methods in pythonthe attributes available for class include the programmer-supplied class and instance variables and methods this usage of attribute makes it all encompassingin the sense that it includes the pre-defined data attributes and methodsthe programmer-supplied class and instance variablesandof coursethe programmer-supplied methods basicallyas mentioned abovean attribute is anything that can be invoked using the dot operator on either class or an instance purdue university