Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming: Thinking in Objects

What is Object Oriented Programming?

Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm that organizes code around "objects", which are instances of "classes".  
This approach, inspired by the real world, allows systems to be modeled in a more intuitive and modular way.

Instead of thinking of a program as a sequence of instructions, OOP invites us to think in terms of objects that interact with each other. For example, in a game, we can have objects like "character", "enemy" and "item". Each object has its own characteristics (attributes) and behaviors (methods).

Fundamental Concepts

Classes and Objects

• Class: Think of them as a mold to create objects. Defines the attributes (characteristics) and methods (behaviors) that an object will have.
• Object: It is an instance of a class. Each object has its own values ​​for attributes.

Attributes and Methods

• Attributes: These are the characteristics of an object. For example, a "Dog" object can have attributes such as "name", "breed" and "age".
• Methods: These are the actions that an object can perform. In the case of "Dog", methods could be "bark()", "run()" and "eat()".

Example in Java:

public class Cachorro {
    String nome;
    String raca;
    int idade;

    public void latir() {
        System.out.println("Au au!");
    }

    public void correr() {
        System.out.println("Estou correndo!");
    }
}

// Criando um objeto da classe Cachorro
Cachorro meuCachorro = new Cachorro();
meuCachorro.nome = "Rex";
meuCachorro.raca = "Labrador";
meuCachorro.idade = 3;

meuCachorro.latir();
meuCachorro.correr();

Why use POO?

• Code reuse: Create base classes and inherit their characteristics to create new classes.

• Maintenance: Makes it easier to find and correct errors.

• Modularity: Divides the problem into smaller, more manageable parts.

• Code organization: Improves code readability and understanding.

In short, OOP offers a more natural and organized way to model real-world problems, making software development more efficient and scalable.

In the next articles, we will explore:

• Encapsulation
• Inheritance
• Polymorphism
• Abstraction
• And much more!

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