Object Oriented Programming (OOP)
Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a coding paradigm that uses classes and objects to structure code and promote reusability. The main goal of OOP is to write clean code that is easy to understand and maintain. Clean code is designed to be easier to work with, model real-world concepts, find and fix bugs, and develop new features faster.
- The key concepts in OOP are:
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Classes: A class is a blueprint or template for creating objects. It defines the properties (attributes) and behaviors (methods) that objects of that class will have. Objects are instances of a class.
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Encapsulation: Encapsulation is the practice of hiding information and internal details of an object or class, allowing other developers to interact with it through a well-defined interface. This helps in code organization and simplifies usage instructions.
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Abstraction: Abstraction is the technique of simplifying complex systems by hiding unnecessary details. It allows developers to focus on essential features and ignore implementation complexities. Abstraction helps in managing code complexity and improving code maintainability.
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Inheritance: Inheritance is a mechanism that allows a class (child class) to inherit properties and behaviors from another class (parent class). It promotes code reuse and allows for the creation of hierarchical relationships between classes.
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Polymorphism: Polymorphism refers to the ability of an object to take on multiple forms. It allows different objects to be treated as the same type and provides flexibility in method implementation. Polymorphism enables code to be written that can work with objects of different types.
Key Points to Remember
- OOP aims to write clean code that is easy to understand and work with.
- Encapsulation and abstraction help in code organization and simplification.
- Classes define properties and behaviors, and objects are instances of classes.
- Inheritance promotes code reuse and allows for hierarchical relationships between classes.
- Polymorphism enables objects to be treated as the same type and provides flexibility in method implementation.