Dataclasses for Structured Application Data

Python's dataclass decorator offers a stdlib alternative to fragile configuration dictionaries, generating __init__, __repr__, and __eq__ automatically while leaving type annotations unenforced at runtime. Covers composing nested dataclasses, handling mutable defaults with default_factory, enforcing invariants in __post_init__, freezing configuration snapshots with frozen=True, and the manual work required to serialize/deserialize at JSON boundaries with asdict() and explicit reconstruction. Closes with guidance on when to use a plain dict, a dataclass, or Pydantic depending on how much the data is trusted and owned.

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