Object-Oriented Programming Concepts

These flashcards cover key concepts related to Object-Oriented Programming, including definitions of common terms and principles.

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

A programming paradigm centered around the concept of objects that combine data and behaviors.

Class

A blueprint or template from which objects are created, defining attributes and methods.

Object

An instance of a class representing a real-world entity, containing unique data and shared structure and behavior.

Inheritance

A fundamental principle of OOP that allows a child class to inherit properties and methods from a parent class.

Polymorphism

The ability of different objects to respond uniquely to the same method call, enhancing flexibility and dynamic behavior.

Encapsulation

The process of wrapping data and methods into a single unit, protecting the internal state of an object from direct access.

Abstract Class

A class that cannot be instantiated and can define base methods to be implemented by subclasses.

Interface

A contract that defines method signatures that implementing classes must provide, facilitating abstraction.

Compile-Time Polymorphism

Also known as method overloading, this occurs when multiple methods share the same name but have different parameters.

Run-Time Polymorphism

Also known as method overriding, it occurs when a subclass provides a new implementation of a method that exists in its superclass.