Python constructors and __init__

Question

Why are constructors indeed called "Constructors"? What is their purpose and how are they different from methods in a class?

Also, can there be more that on

Answer 1

coonstructors are called automatically when you create a new object, thereby "constructing" the object. The reason you can have more than one init is because names are just references in python, and you are allowed to change what each variable references whenever you want (hence dynamic typing)

def func(): #now func refers to an empty funcion
    pass
...
func=5      #now func refers to the number 5
def func():
    print "something"    #now func refers to a different function

in your class definition, it just keeps the later one