What is a key characteristic of a class in Python?

The key characteristic of a class in Python is that a class can contain attributes and methods. In object-oriented programming, a class serves as a blueprint for creating objects (instances). Attributes are the variables that belong to the class, which hold data or state related to the object. Methods are functions defined within the class that can perform operations on the attributes or provide functionality related to the object.

This ability to encapsulate both data (attributes) and behavior (methods) is fundamental to the concept of classes in Python, enabling developers to create organized and reusable code. By allowing the definition of attributes and methods, classes facilitate the modeling of real-world entities and their interactions in a structured way.