Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a computer programming model that organizes software design around data, orobjects, rather than functions and logic. An object can be defined as a data field that has unique attributes and behavior.
OOP focuses on the objects that developers want to manipulate rather than the logic required to manipulate them. This approach to programming is well suited for software that is large, complex and actively updated or maintained. This includes programs for manufacturing and design, as well as mobile applications. For example, OOP can be used for manufacturing system simulation software.
The organization of an object-oriented program also makes the method beneficial for collaborative development, where projects are divided into groups. Additional benefits of OOP include code reusability, scalability and efficiency.
The first step in OOP is to collect all of the objects a programmer wants to manipulate and identify how they relate to each other -- an exercise known asdata modeling.
Examples of an object can range from physical entities, such as a human being who is described by properties like name and address, to small computer programs, such aswidgets.
Once an object is known, it is labeled with aclass of objects that defines the kind of data it contains and any logic sequences that can manipulate it. Each distinct logic sequence is known as amethod. Objects can communicate with well-defined interfaces calledmessages.
The structure, or building blocks, of object-oriented programming include the following:
Object-oriented programming is based on the following principles:
While Simula is credited as being the first object-oriented programming language, many other programming languages are used with OOP today. But some programming languages pair with OOP better than others. For example, programming languages that are considered pure OOP languages treat everything as objects. Other programming languages are designed primarily for OOP but with some procedural processes included. Some of themost popular programming languages are designed for, or with, OOP in mind.
For example, popular pure OOP languages include the following:
Programming languages designed primarily for OOP include the following:
Otherprogramming languages that pair with OOP include the following:
Benefits of OOP include the following:
Developers have criticized the object-oriented programming model for multiple reasons. The largest concern is that OOP overemphasizes the data component of software development and does not focus enough on computation oralgorithms. Additionally, OOP code may be more complicated to write and take longer to compile.
Other common criticisms include the fact that inheritance comes with drawbacks, such as fragile base classes. Additionally, objects are sometimes more clear while isolated but are harder to understand when operating in the actual program.
Alternative methods to OOP include the following:
Most advanced programming languages enable developers to combine models because they can be used for different programming methods. For example, JavaScript and Scala can be used for OOP and functional programming.
Developers who are working with OOP and microservices can address common microservices issues byapplying the principles of OOP.
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