Coding, Software Development

What is Object-Oriented Programming? Definition, Pros, Cons, and Applications

Written by Karin Kelley
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Updated on September 24, 2024

Object-oriented programming (OOP) is the backbone of modern software development. It is shaping the way we design and write code today. So, whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting your programming journey, understanding it is crucial for building scalable, efficient, and maintainable software.

In this article, we’ll explore the core concepts of OOP and break down its fundamental principles and benefits, applications, and advantages. By the end, you’ll have a solid grasp of this type of programming and learn about a Full Stack Web Development Program that will help you transform your coding skills.

What Exactly is Object-Oriented Programming?

Object-oriented programming is a programming approach that uses sets of objects instead of logic-based methods. It stores data and related operations in the form of abstract data types. These data classes are then used multiple times to generate new objects with the same functions. This programming is helpful for applications that enable interactions between humans and machines.

Also Read: What is Git Merge?

Reasons We Need Object-Oriented Programming

As the world moves towards adopting and diversifying object-oriented programming, here are a few benefits you can reap.

OOP enhances flexibility by facilitating modifications, additions, and upgrades without altering the rest of the codebase.
It helps create manageable sets by dividing systems with complex and large datasets into object classes. This allows the team to work on more structured development.
The ready objects can be employed in multiple codes and reused, thus saving time when creating chunks of data.
It helps organize the code into comprehensible groups so developers can easily assess, maintain, change, and debug it.
OOP, which helps with object-based products or features for simple navigation and tracking, can address the growing preference for visual presentation on websites and electronics.

In short, OOP is the organizer of your closet of codes. You get a clean closet with codes on appropriate shelves.

Key Pillars of OOP

Ojbect-oriented programming is built on four key pillars: encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction. Let us discuss them in brief.

Encapsulation

Encapsulation involves wrapping data inside objects so only authorized users can access it. This adds an extra layer of protection, keeping sensitive information safe from potential breaches.

Inheritance

Inheritance refers to the process by which a new class can reuse a class’s features and attributes. The new class can change or add the properties of the parent class as required while keeping the essential qualities the same.

Polymorphism

Polymorphism involves grouping multiple objects under an umbrella superclass. Rather than creating individual commands, you can use the same commands for all the objects. This helios reduces code duplication, as the software can determine which usage is required for each object from the superclass.

Abstraction

Abstraction includes the removal of complexity from the code visualization by presenting the bird’s eye view of the code. The intricacies of the code are grouped under simple classes. Thus, you do not have to go into depth every time in the code and can work on only the exact code section you require.

Also Read: All About the Software Development Life Cycle

List of Object-oriented Programming Languages

According to the application’s requirements, more than 30 OOP-friendly languages can be selected. Here’s a list of some:

Java, which is platform-independent and useful for Android programming
JavaScript, which uses the ES6 version to perform OOP tasks
C++, which is scalable, has excellent performance and provides efficient memory management.
C#, which has good memory access functionality and is capable of cross-platform operations.
Python is often used for machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data science applications.
R can form objects and classes to simplify programs and reduce complex data to manageable chunks.
PHP is free and open-source. It’s mainly used to create web applications using the integral large code library.
Visual Basic.NET is typically used for applications on the web, phones, and desktops.
Ruby provides excellent code safety and a vast library for community development.
Swift is used for the rapid development of iOS and MacOS applications.
Groovy, which integrates with Java to write scripts.

You can also explore languages such as MATLAB, Smalltalk, Common Lisp, Scala, Objective-C, Pascal, Dart, Rust, and Kotlin.

What is Object-Oriented Programming? OOP Concepts

OOP can seem novel to a beginner. So, let’s discuss the key concepts integral to it.

Class: A class is a user-defined data type with its data member functions and data members. You can create an instance of the class to access the kind on which the object creation is based.
Object: An object refers to features defined during the generation of a class. For example, the class description and its instance are objects. An object is allocated memory space in the system.
Coupling: Coupling is the degree of connection between different software elements such as a package, component, class, or subsystem. It indicates the dependencies between two objects or classes, especially when one of them’s attributes changes.
Syntax: Syntax is the grammar of the programming language. It specifies the rules to be followed while using the language to write codes. You must use the correct syntax to compile your code and make it run smoothly.
Association: An association is a relationship between two classes using objects. Each object works as a distinct entity and has one or more associations, such as one=one, many=one, one-many, and many-many.
Cohesion: Cohesion refers to the coupling of a class’s properties and methods. It determines the logical relationship between them so that they work together on a focused task.
Aggregation: Aggregation is a weak association that links one object to its constituent objects. It enables the parts of the object to exist using the attributes of the parent object.
Composition: Composition is a form of aggregation in which the part possesses the attributes of the parent object but needs the parent object for its functioning. As these child objects do not have a lifecycle, they disappear when the parent object disappears.

These are some of the main concepts that can help you use OOP to its fullest potential.

Also Read: What is Software Testing in Software Engineering?

Where is OOP Used?

Object-oriented programming is immensely beneficial when you enhance the interactions between applications or systems and the humans handling them. Here are some of the key applications of OOP.

User interfaces such as Windows or Linux allow you to program a visual interactive application that users can understand and implement quickly.
Computer graphics-based applications include video and educational games, where objects can be used to create game content, such as 3D images, action commands, visual features, etc.
CAD-CAM software, where OOP helps store models and structures for quick access.
Object-oriented databases include images of products on an e-commerce website or product pages of the manufacturing company website.
Modeling components and simulation of physical elements such as applied load, fluid flow, etc, where OOP can store and display color-coded results.

Advantages and Disadvantages of OOP

Now that we have seen the key features of object-oriented programming, let’s examine its pros and cons.

Advantages of Object-oriented Programming

OOP helps in code reuse and recycling
It eliminates the need for code duplication and promotes collaboration and knowledge-sharing
You can use the main code from the master class and only change the required features for your child code
It enhances efficiency and productivity in software development
You can begin a code using a base code and work on modifying and improving it rather than writing it from scratch
Further, it gives you small chunks of problems to solve and reduces the task’s complexity
It facilitates quick issue resolution by highlighting where the error is located. Thus, you do not have to check the code from start to finish
It filters the data and limits access, thereby improving the security of the code and the software

Disadvantages of OOP

Object-oriented programming increases the length of the programs, which become longer than those created using a procedural approach
The execution time of the program takes a long time, delaying further tasks
It cannot be applied to all applications. It needs a thought process distinct from traditional programming
A balance of programming and designing skills is required for OOP to work perfectly

Also Read: Web Development Tutorial: What is Unit Testing in Python?

Boost Your Knowledge of OOP and Other Full-Stack Web Development Skills

Object-oriented programming is fundamental in web development if you wish to use novel codes to resolve program issues. It helps facilitate the development of graphic-based programs. So, OOP is for you if you wish to work on code using new high-level programming languages but a different approach.

You can begin your journey in this field by completing an industry-ready web development bootcamp. In this course, industry experts will train you in fundamentals such as building blocks of Java data structures for OOP, Spring Boot, web services, microservices, and back-end technologies. You will learn tools like Angular, Docker, Git, Jenkins, and Maven and get hands-on training through industry-relevant capstone projects.

FAQs

1. What is object-oriented programming?

Object-oriented programming is a programming approach that uses classes of objects connected with functions to achieve the required output.

2. What are the main concepts in object-oriented programming?

OOP includes four key concepts: encapsulation, inheritance, abstraction, and polymorphism. These concepts help categorize objects in classes to simplify code creation and testing.

3. What are the examples of OOPs?

Some examples of OOP are client-server systems, artificial intelligence software, office automation systems, and neural networking.