Method (computer programming): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:49, 24 February 2021

Revision as of 05:05, 3 April 2021

Line 5:

Data is represented as [[Property (programming)|properties]] of the object, and behaviors are represented as methods. For example, a <code>Window</code> object could have methods such as <code>open</code> and <code>close</code>, while its state (whether it is open or closed at any given point in time) would be a property.

In [[class-based programming]], methods are defined inwithin a [[class (computer science)|class]], and objects are [[Instance (computer science)|instances]] of a given class. One of the most important capabilities that a method provides is ''[[method overriding]]'' - the same name (e.g., <code>area</code>) can be used for multiple different kinds of classes. This allows the sending objects to invoke behaviors and to delegate the implementation of those behaviors to the receiving object. A method in [[Java (programming language)|Java]] programming sets the behavior of a class object. For example, an object can send an <code>area</code> message to another object and the appropriate formula is invoked whether the receiving object is a <code>rectangle</code>, <code>circle</code>, <code>triangle</code>, etc.

Methods also provide the interface that other classes use to access and modify the properties of an object; this is known as [[Encapsulation (computer programming)|''encapsulation'']]. Encapsulation and overriding are the two primary distinguishing features between methods and procedure calls.<ref>{{cite web|title=What is an Object?|url=http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/concepts/object.html|work=oracle.com|publisher=Oracle Corporation|access-date=13 December 2013}}</ref>