Can you explain the principle of inheritance in Python and how it is used when creating classes?

In Python, inheritance allows creating a new class (child) that acquires the properties and methods of an existing class (parent). This helps reuse code and extend functionality without duplication.

Example:

class Animal:
    def speak(self):
        print("Animal makes a sound")

class Dog(Animal):
    def speak(self):
        print("Woof")

my_dog = Dog()
my_dog.speak()  # Outputs: Woof

Here, the Dog class inherits the speak method from Animal but overrides it. If the method is not overridden, the parent's method is used.

Inheritance helps organize code in a hierarchy and facilitates maintenance and extension of programs.