difference between type(self) and self

Question

class C: 

    counter = 0
    
    def __init__(self): 
        type(self).counter += 1

x=C()

print(x.counter)

print(C.counter)

both the above print statement gives output 1 while if i use self.counter+=1 then the first print gives output 0 and second print gives 1, can anyone explain?

Answer 1

type(self) gives you the class.  In your case, it's just the class C.

type(self).counter+=1 is the same as C.counter+=1

x = C()

x is an instance, which has its own copy of counter.

self.counter+=1 is making change to the instance copy of counter.