Encapsulation is often described as the first pillar of object-oriented programming. It is the mechanism of bundling the data (attributes) and the methods (functions) that operate on the data within a single unit or object. This concept is also often referred to as data hiding because the object’s internal representation is hidden from the outside world.
Inheritance is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming that allows a new class to be based on an existing class. The new class, known as the derived or child class, inherits attributes and methods from the existing class, called the base or parent class. This mechanism promotes code reuse and establishes a relationship between classes.
Polymorphism is a core concept in object-oriented programming that allows objects of different classes to be treated as objects of a common base class. The term “polymorphism” comes from Greek, meaning “many forms”. In OOP, it refers to the ability of a single interface to represent different underlying forms (data types or classes).
Abstraction is the process of hiding the complex implementation details and showing only the necessary features of an object. It’s about creating a simplified view of an object that represents its essential characteristics without including background details or explanations.
Object-Oriented Programming is a powerful paradigm that provides a way to structure code that closely mirrors real-world entities and their interactions. The four fundamental concepts we’ve explored (encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction) work together to create flexible, maintainable, and reusable code.