OOP (java)
MSc. Mohammed AL-Sayani
Java OOP
Java - What is OOP?
OOP stands for Object-Oriented Programming.
Procedural programming is about writing procedures or methods
that perform operations on the data, while object-oriented
programming is about creating objects that contain both data
and methods.
Object-oriented programming has several advantages over
procedural programming:
• OOP is faster and easier to execute
• OOP provides a clear structure for the programs
• OOP helps to keep the Java code DRY "Don't Repeat
Yourself", and makes the code easier to maintain, modify
and debug
• OOP makes it possible to create full reusable applications
with less code and shorter development time
Tip: The "Don't Repeat Yourself" (DRY) principle is about
reducing the repetition of code. You should extract out the codes
that are common for the application, and place them at a single
place and reuse them instead of repeating it.
Java - What are Classes and Objects?
Classes and objects are the two main aspects of object-oriented
programming.
Look at the following illustration to see the difference between
class and objects:
class
Fruit
objects
Apple
Banana
Mango
Another example:
class
Car
objects
Volvo
Audi
Toyota
So, a class is a template for objects, and an object is an instance
of a class.
When the individual objects are created, they inherit all the
variables and methods from the class.
You will learn much more about classes and objects in the next
chapter.
Java Classes and Objects
Java Classes/Objects
Java is an object-oriented programming language.
Everything in Java is associated with classes and objects, along
with its attributes and methods. For example: in real life, a car is
an object. The car has attributes, such as weight and color, and
methods, such as drive and brake.
A Class is like an object constructor, or a "blueprint" for
creating objects.
Create a Class
To create a class, use the keyword class:
Main.java
Create a class named "Main" with a variable x:
public class Main {
int x = 5;
}
Remember from the Java Syntax chapter that a class should
always start with an uppercase first letter, and that the name of
the java file should match the class name.
Create an Object
In Java, an object is created from a class. We have already
created the class named Main, so now we can use this to create
objects.
To create an object of Main, specify the class name, followed by
the object name, and use the keyword new:
Example
Create an object called "myObj" and print the value of x:
public class Main {
int x = 5;
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj = new Main();
System.out.println(myObj.x);
}
}
Multiple Objects
You can create multiple objects of one class:
Example
Create two objects of Main:
public class Main {
int x = 5;
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj1 = new Main(); // Object 1
Main myObj2 = new Main(); // Object 2
System.out.println(myObj1.x);
System.out.println(myObj2.x);
}
}
Using Multiple Classes
You can also create an object of a class and access it in another
class. This is often used for better organization of classes (one
class has all the attributes and methods, while the other class
holds the main() method (code to be executed)).
Remember that the name of the java file should match the class
name. In this example, we have created two files in the same
directory/folder:
• Main.java
• Second.java
1. Main.java
public class Main {
int x = 5;
}
2. Second.java
class Second {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj = new Main();
System.out.println(myObj.x);
}
}
Java Class Attributes
Java Class Attributes
In the previous chapter, we used the term "variable" for x in the
example (as shown below). It is actually an attribute of the
class. Or you could say that class attributes are variables within
a class:
Example
Create a class called "Main" with two attributes: x and y:
public class Main {
int x = 5;
int y = 3;
}
Another term for class attributes is fields.
Accessing Attributes
You can access attributes by creating an object of the class, and
by using the dot syntax (.):
The following example will create an object of the Main class,
with the name myObj. We use the x attribute on the object to
print its value:
Example
Create an object called "myObj" and print the value of x:
public class Main {
int x = 5;
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj = new Main();
System.out.println(myObj.x);
}
}
Modify Attributes
You can also modify attribute values:
Example
Set the value of x to 40:
public class Main {
int x;
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj = new Main();
myObj.x = 40;
System.out.println(myObj.x);
}
}
Or override existing values:
Example
Change the value of x to 25:
public class Main {
int x = 10;
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj = new Main();
myObj.x = 25; // x is now 25
System.out.println(myObj.x);
}
}
If you don't want the ability to override existing values, declare
the attribute as final:
Example
public class Main {
final int x = 10;
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj = new Main();
myObj.x = 25; // will generate an error: cannot
assign a value to a final variable
System.out.println(myObj.x);
}
}
The final keyword is useful when you want a variable to
always store the same value, like PI (3.14159...).
The final keyword is called a "modifier". You will learn more
about these in the Java Modifiers Chapter.
Multiple Objects
If you create multiple objects of one class, you can change the
attribute values in one object, without affecting the attribute
values in the other:
Example
Change the value of x to 25 in myObj2, and leave x in myObj1
unchanged:
public class Main {
int x = 5;
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj1 = new Main(); // Object 1
Main myObj2 = new Main(); // Object 2
myObj2.x = 25;
System.out.println(myObj1.x); // Outputs 5
System.out.println(myObj2.x); // Outputs 25
}
}
Multiple Attributes
You can specify as many attributes as you want:
Example
public class Main {
String fname = "John";
String lname = "Doe";
int age = 24;
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj = new Main();
System.out.println("Name: " + myObj.fname + " " +
myObj.lname);
System.out.println("Age: " + myObj.age);
}
}
The next chapter will teach you how to create class methods and
how to access them with objects.
Java Class Methods
Java Class Methods
You learned from the Java Methods chapter that methods are
declared within a class, and that they are used to perform certain
actions:
Example
Create a method named myMethod() in Main:
public class Main {
static void myMethod() {
System.out.println("Hello World!");
}
}
myMethod() prints a text (the action), when it is called. To call a
method, write the method's name followed by two parentheses ()
and a semicolon;
Example
Inside main, call myMethod():
public class Main {
static void myMethod() {
System.out.println("Hello World!");
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
myMethod();
}
}
// Outputs "Hello World!"
Static vs. Public
You will often see Java programs that have either static or
public attributes and methods.
In the example above, we created a static method, which
means that it can be accessed without creating an object of the
class, unlike public, which can only be accessed by objects:
Example
An example to demonstrate the differences between static and
public methods:
public class Main {
// Static method
static void myStaticMethod() {
System.out.println("Static methods can be called
without creating objects");
}
// Public method
public void myPublicMethod() {
System.out.println("Public methods must be called by
creating objects");
}
// Main method
public static void main(String[] args) {
myStaticMethod(); // Call the static method
// myPublicMethod(); This would compile an error
Main myObj = new Main(); // Create an object of Main
myObj.myPublicMethod(); // Call the public method on
the object
}
}
Note: You will learn more about these keywords (called
modifiers) in the Java Modifiers chapter.
Access Methods With an Object
Example
Create a Car object named myCar. Call the fullThrottle() and
speed() methods on the myCar object, and run the program:
// Create a Main class
public class Main {
// Create a fullThrottle() method
public void fullThrottle() {
System.out.println("The car is going as fast as it
can!");
}
// Create a speed() method and add a parameter
public void speed(int maxSpeed) {
System.out.println("Max speed is: " + maxSpeed);
}
// Inside main, call the methods on the myCar object
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myCar = new Main(); // Create a myCar object
myCar.fullThrottle(); // Call the fullThrottle()
method
myCar.speed(200); // Call the speed() method
}
}
// The car is going as fast as it can!
// Max speed is: 200
Example explained
1) We created a custom Main class with the class keyword.
2) We created the fullThrottle() and speed() methods in the
Main class.
3) The fullThrottle() method and the speed() method will
print out some text, when they are called.
4) The speed() method accepts an int parameter called
maxSpeed - we will use this in 8).
5) In order to use the Main class and its methods, we need to
create an object of the Main Class.
6) Then, go to the main() method, which you know by now is a
built-in Java method that runs your program (any code inside
main is executed).
7) By using the new keyword we created an object with the name
myCar.
8) Then, we call the fullThrottle() and speed() methods on
the myCar object, and run the program using the name of the
object (myCar), followed by a dot (.), followed by the name of
the method (fullThrottle(); and speed(200);). Notice that we
add an int parameter of 200 inside the speed() method.
Remember that..
The dot (.) is used to access the object's attributes and methods.
To call a method in Java, write the method name followed by a
set of parentheses (), followed by a semicolon (;).
A class must have a matching filename (Main and Main.java).
Using Multiple Classes
Like we specified in the Classes chapter, it is a good practice to
create an object of a class and access it in another class.
Remember that the name of the java file should match the class
name. In this example, we have created two files in the same
directory:
• Main.java
• Second.java
3. Main.java
public class Main {
public void fullThrottle() {
System.out.println("The car is going as fast as it
can!");
}
public void speed(int maxSpeed) {
System.out.println("Max speed is: " + maxSpeed);
}
}
4. Second.java
class Second {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myCar = new Main(); // Create a myCar object
myCar.fullThrottle(); // Call the fullThrottle()
method
myCar.speed(200); // Call the speed() method
}
}
Java Constructors
Java Constructors
A constructor in Java is a special method that is used to
initialize objects. The constructor is called when an object of a
class is created. It can be used to set initial values for object
attributes:
Example
Create a constructor:
// Create a Main class
public class Main {
int x; // Create a class attribute
// Create a class constructor for the Main class
public Main() {
x = 5; // Set the initial value for the class
attribute x
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj = new Main(); // Create an object of class
Main (This will call the constructor)
System.out.println(myObj.x); // Print the value of x
}
}
// Outputs 5
Note that the constructor name must match the class name, and
it cannot have a return type (like void).
Also note that the constructor is called when the object is
created.
All classes have constructors by default: if you do not create a
class constructor yourself, Java creates one for you. However,
then you are not able to set initial values for object attributes.
Constructor Parameters
Constructors can also take parameters, which is used to initialize
attributes.
The following example adds an int y parameter to the
constructor. Inside the constructor we set x to y (x=y). When we
call the constructor, we pass a parameter to the constructor (5),
which will set the value of x to 5:
Example
public class Main {
int x;
public Main(int y) {
x = y;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myObj = new Main(5);
System.out.println(myObj.x);
}
}
// Outputs 5
You can have as many parameters as you want:
Example
public class Main {
int modelYear;
String modelName;
public Main(int year, String name) {
modelYear = year;
modelName = name;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Main myCar = new Main(1969, "Mustang");
System.out.println(myCar.modelYear + " " +
myCar.modelName);
}
}
// Outputs 1969 Mustang
