Method (computer programming): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:39, 1 March 2019

Revision as of 00:14, 5 March 2019

Line 1:

A '''method''' in [[object-oriented programming]] (OOP) is a [[Procedure (computer science)|procedure]] associated with a [[Message passing|message]] and an [[Object (computer science)|object]]. An object isconsists mostlyof madedata upand ofbehavior. The data and behavior comprise an interface, which formspecifies how the interfaceobject thatmay anbe objectutilized presentsby any of various users (such as other programs, systems, or computer programmers who wish to utilize the outsideobject worldin their own programs).

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

In [[class-based programming]], methods are defined in a [[class (computer science)|class]], and objects are 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 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.