Java Programming Terms + Basics

A system based around the states and functions of objects.

Inherent attributes of the object.

Action through which an object's behavior is exposed.

Hiding an object's internal state and requiring all interaction to be performed through an object's methods.

The source code for an object can be written and maintained independently of the source code of other objects.

Internal implementations of an object are hidden, as only with the methods does something interact.

You can use existing objects in your program, i.e. complicated code that others have already made.

If a particular object is problematic, simply remove and replace with a different object. Fix the broken part, not the machine.

Blueprint from which the individual objects are created (sort of like DNA transcription to RNA.) Objects are instances of classes, i.e. your particular bike is an instance of the class of objects known as bicycles.

Implies a complete application or superclass.

Use of the code of a superclass to create subclasses. The superclass code constitutes the body of the subclass code, and the differentiations of the subclass are specified in its field. Various objects can have a certain amount in common with one another, i.e. mountain bikes, road bikes, tandem bikes, but they all have defining features as well.

Class from which state and behavior are inherited by subclasses. Can have infinite subclasses.

Class which inherits behavior and state from a superclass. Each subclass may have only one superclass.

Use "extends" keyword before the name of the class from which to inherit.

The method with which one interacts to interact with an object. Commonly a group of related methods with empty bodies.

Allows a class to become more formal about the behavior it promises to provede. Forms a "contract" with the outside world.

Namespace that organizes a set of related classes and interfaces, conceptually similar to different folders on your computer (i.e. a "folder" for HTML, one for images, for scripts.)

Application Programming Interface. Premade classes that allow the Java user to forgo some coding infrastructure.