Features of OOP

Author : Exforsys Inc. Published on: 22nd Oct 2006

Features of OOP
OOP stands for Object Oriented Programming and
the language that support this Object Oriented
programming features is called Object oriented
Programming Language. An example of a language
that support this Object oriented features is C++.
Features of Object oriented Programming
The Objects Oriented programming language
supports all the features of normal programming
languages. In addition it supports some important
concepts and terminology hich has made it popular
among programming methodology.
The important features of Object Oriented
programming are!
Inheritance
Polymorphism
"ata #iding
$ncapsulation
O%erloading
&eusability
Let us see a brief o%er%ie of these important
features of Object Oriented programming
'ut before that it is important to (no some ne
terminologies used in Object Oriented programming
namely
Objects
Classes
Objects:
In other ords object is an instance of a class.
Classes:
These contain data and functions bundled together
under a unit. In other ords class is a collection of
similar objects. )hen e define a class it just
creates template or *(elton. *o no memory is
created hen class is created. +emory is occupied
only by object.
Example:
Class classname
{
Data
Functions
};
main ( )
{
classname objectname1,objectname2,..;
}
In other ords classes acts as data types for objects.
Member functions:
The functions defined inside the class as abo%e are
called member functions.
#ere the concept of "ata #iding figures
Data Hiding:
This concept is the main heart of an Object oriented
programming. The data is hidden inside the class by
declaring it as pri%ate inside the class. )hen data or
functions are defined as pri%ate it can be accessed
only by the class in hich it is defined. )hen data or
functions are defined as public then it can be
accessed anyhere outside the class. Object
Oriented programming gi%es importance to
protecting data hich in any system. This is done by
declaring data as pri%ate and ma(ing it accessible
only to the class in hich it is defined. This concept
is called data hiding. 'ut one can (eep member
functions as public.
*o abo%e class structure becomes
Example:
Class classname
{
private:
datatpe data;

public:
!ember "unctions
};
main ( )
{
classname objectname1,objectname2,..;
}
Encapsulation:
The technical term for combining data and functions
together as a bundle is encapsulation.
Inheritance:
Inheritance as the name suggests is the concept of
inheriting or deri%ing properties of an exiting class to
get ne class or classes. In other ords e may
ha%e common features or characteristics that may be
needed by number of classes. *o those features can
be placed in a common tree class called base class
and the other classes hich ha%e these charaterisics
can ta(e the tree class and define only the ne
things that they ha%e on their on in their classes.
These classes are called deri%ed class. The main
ad%antage of using this concept of inheritance in
Object oriented programming is it helps in reducing
the code si,e since the common characteristic is
placed separately called as base class and it is just
referred in the deri%ed class. This pro%ide the users
the important usage of terminology called as
reusability
Reusabilit:
This usage is achie%ed by the abo%e explained
terminology called as inheritance. &eusability is
nothing but re- usage of structure ithout changing
the existing one but adding ne features or
characteristics to it. It is %ery much needed for any
programmers in different situations. &eusability
gi%es the folloing ad%antages to users
It helps in reducing the code si,e since classes can
be just deri%ed from existing one and one need to
add only the ne features and it helps users to sa%e
their time.
.or instance if there is a class defined to dra
different graphical figures say there is a user ho
ant to dra graphical figure and also add the
features of adding color to the graphical figure. In
this scenario instead of defining a class to dra a
graphical figure and coloring it hat the user can do
is ma(e use of the existing class for draing
graphical figure by deri%ing the class and add ne
feature to the deri%ed class namely add the feature
of adding colors to the graphical figure.
Polmorphism and O!erloading:
Poly refers many. *o Polymorphism as the name
suggests is a certain item appearing in different
forms or ays. That is ma(ing a function or operator
to act in different forms depending on the place they
are present is called Polymorphism. O%erloading is a
(ind of polymorphism. In other ords say for
instance e (no that +/ - operate on integer data
type and is used to perform arithmetic additions and
subtractions. 'ut operator o%erloading is one in
hich e define ne operations to these operators
and ma(e them operate on different data types in
other ords o%erloading the existing functionality
ith ne one. This is a %ery important feature of
object oriented programming methodology hich
extended the handling of data type and operations.
Thus the abo%e gi%en important features of object
oriented programming among the numerous features
it ha%e gi%es the folloing ad%antages to the
programming orld. The ad%antages are namely
0 "ata Protection or security of data is achie%ed by
concept of data hiding
0 &educes program si,e and sa%es time by the
concept of reusability hich is achie%ed by the
terminology of Inheritance
0 Operators can be gi%en ne functions as per user
hich extends the usage.