APCSA 2.6 Vocabulary

attribute

the data of an object that will constitute the state of an object. Attributes are defined in a class

method

(of an object): defines the behavior that is performed on an object’s data.

class

the formal implementation, or blueprint, of the attributes (data) and behaviors (methods) that the objects of its type support

object

a specific instance of a class with defined attributes

Instantiation

the act of creating an object for use in a program

instance

a specific realization of an object

new

a Java reserved word that is used to create an object

parameter

a value that is passed to a method or a constructor to provide the data for the object’s initial state

constructor

a special method of a class that initializes an object of that type

The 2 parts of the method signature

1. the name of the method

2. the type and order of all parameters

Formal parameters

listed in the header of a method

Actual parameters

values passed into a method

The Difference Between Actual and Formal Parameters

Actual parameters are those parameters that are specified in the calling function. While on the other hand, formal parameters are those parameters that are declared in the called function.

(https://byjus.com/gate/difference-between-actual-and-formal-parameters-in-pl-sql/)

object reference

an address that indicates where an object’s variables and methods are stored.

Null

a special value used to indicate that a reference is not associated with any object