Object Oriented Terms

• Attributes - Data describing an object. the attributes or characteristics of the object.
• Behavier - Defined by the methods the object contains.
• Classes - The implementation of an abstract data type defining attributes and methods. With C++ this is used with pointers but with JAVA late binding is done automatically when required.
• Constructor
• Destructor
• Early binding - The method used to implement an action is implemented at compile time. Used with pointers and may not apply to JAVA.
• Encapsulation - The process of providing a public interface to interact with the object while hiding other information inside the object.
• Friend - allows private data and methods to be accessible to classes that are declared "friends" with the class the private data and methods are in.
• Function - A subroutine written to perform a specific task and return a value.
• Implementation - The implementation of objects is hidden in the object class. This means that the data and functions that define the object are defined by the object's class.
• Instance - An instance of a class. An object.
• Instantiation - Creating an instance of a class which is an object.
• Late binding - The method used to implement an action is implemented at run time. The virtual keyword is used to designate functions defined at run time. With C++ this is used with pointers but with JAVA late binding is done automatically when required.
• Message - A request to an object to invoke one of its methods. Messages contain the name of the method and the arguments required by the method.h
• Object - An instance of a class.
• Operator Overloading
• Polymorphism
• Procedure - A subroutine written to perform a specific task but not return a value.
• Private - Data and methods in this section are not accessible outside the class. Only functions in this class have access to private functions and data.
• Protected - Data and methods in this section are accessible to this class and subclasses derived from this class or one of its subclasses.
• Public - Data and methods in this section are accessible outside the class.
• Virtual functions - Use of the keyword virtual in front of the function designates that it is implemented at run time. Used with pointers and may not apply to JAVA.