'''Class-based programming''', or more commonly '''class-orientation''', is a style of [[object-oriented programming]] (OOP) in which inheritance is achieved by defining ''[[class (computer science)|classes]]'' of [[object (computer science)|objects]], as opposed to the objects themselves (compare [[prototype-based programming]]).
The most popular and developed model of OOP is a class-based model, as opposed to an object-based model. In this model, objects are entities that combine ''[[State (computer science)|state]]'' (i.e., data), ''[[behavior]]'' (i.e., procedures, or ''[[method (computer science)|method]]s'') and ''[[identity (object-oriented programming)|identity]]'' (unique existence among all other objects). The structure and behavior of an object are defined by a [[class (object-oriented programming)|class]], which is a [[definition]], or [[blueprint]], of all objects of a specific type. An object must be explicitly created based on a class and an object thus created is considered to be an [[Instantiation (computer science)|instance]] of that class. An object is similar to a [[Data structure|structure]], with the addition of method pointers, member access control, and an implicit data member which locates instances of the class (i.e. actual objects of that class) in the class hierarchy (essential for runtime inheritance features).
