Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a cornerstone of modern software development. Here's a breakdown of key principles and practical insights:

📌 Core OOP Principles

  • Encapsulation 📦
    Hide implementation details using access modifiers (private, protected).
    Example:

    public class Car {
        private int speed;
        public void accelerate(int increment) { speed += increment; }
    }
    
  • Inheritance 🧱
    Extend classes with extends to reuse code.
    Tip: Use abstract classes for shared functionality.
    Learn more about inheritance

  • Polymorphism 🌀
    Achieve flexibility with method overriding and interfaces.
    Challenge: Implement a polymorphic hierarchy for shapes.

  • Abstraction 🧠
    Simplify complex systems using abstract classes and interfaces.
    Visualize: Abstract_Class

📊 Practical Examples

  • Use UML diagrams to model class relationships
    Class_Diagram
  • Explore real-world OOP applications like:
    • BankAccount with overdraft protection
    • Animal superclass with Dog, Cat subclasses
    • Shape interface with Circle, Rectangle implementations

📚 Further Learning

🤔 Common Pitfalls

  • Overusing inheritance when composition is better
  • Violating the Liskov Substitution Principle
  • Forgetting to use access modifiers for encapsulation
  • Misunderstanding polymorphism's runtime behavior

📝 Pro Tip: Always ask "What is the relationship between these objects?" before designing class hierarchies.

Polymorphism