A methodology that enables a system to be modeled as a set of objects that can be controlled and manipulated in a modular manner
122
votes
22answers
1k views
How do you educate your teammates without seeming condescending or superior?
I work with three other guys; I'll call them Adam, Brian, and Chris.
Adam and Brian are bright guys. Give them a problem; they will figure out a way to solve it. When it comes to OOP, though, they ...
79
votes
10answers
7k views
Should we avoid object creation in Java?
I was told by a colleague that in Java object creation is the most expensive operation you could perform. So I can only conclude to create as few objects as possible.
This seems somewhat to defeat ...
76
votes
18answers
11k views
If immutable objects are good, why do people keep creating mutable objects?
If immutable objects¹ are good, simple and offer benefits in concurrent programming why do programmers keep creating mutable objects²?
I have four years of experience in Java programming and as I see ...
65
votes
20answers
4k views
Is OOP hard because it is not natural?
One can often hear that OOP naturally corresponds to the way people think about the world. But I would strongly disagree with this statement: We (or at least I) conceptualize the world in terms of ...
64
votes
18answers
4k views
Is it poor programming practice to pass parameters as Objects? [duplicate]
So, we've got a guy who likes to write methods that take Objects as parameters, so they can be 'very flexible'. Then, internally, he either does direct casting, reflection or method overloading to ...
60
votes
12answers
3k views
Name for this antipattern? Fields as local variables
In some code I'm reviewing, I'm seeing stuff that's the moral equivalent of the following:
public class Foo
{
private Bar bar;
public MethodA()
{
bar = new Bar();
...
58
votes
19answers
9k views
Do I really need oop for my kind of job? After 10 years I think I don't
After 10 years of writing something like business logic for my company I realized that for 95% of my code I just don't need any special OO techniques. For years I tried to get better with all that OO ...
56
votes
21answers
6k views
Why is OOP difficult?
When I started using an object-oriented language (Java), I pretty much just went "Cool" and started coding. I've never really thought about it until only recently after having read lots of questions ...
54
votes
12answers
4k views
Why is C not considered an 'object-oriented' language?
It seems that C has its own quasi-objects such as 'structs' that can be considered as objects (in the high-level way that we would normally think).
And also, C files themselves are basically separate ...
51
votes
14answers
10k views
Where does this concept of “favor composition over inheritance” come from?
In the last few months, the mantra "favor composition over inheritance" seems to have sprung up out of nowhere and become almost some sort of meme within the programming community. And every time I ...
51
votes
4answers
4k views
Functional Programming vs. OOP
I've heard a lot of talk about using functional languages such as Haskell as of late. What are some of the big differences, pros and cons of functional programming vs. object-oriented programming?
45
votes
12answers
3k views
New to TDD. Should I avoid private methods now?
I'm just now learning TDD. It's my understanding that private methods are untestable and shouldn't be worried about because the public API will provide enough information for verifying an object's ...
43
votes
14answers
6k views
What makes C so popular in the age of OOP?
I code a lot in both C and C++, but did not expect C to be the second most popular language, slightly behind Java.
TIOBE Programming Community Index
I'm curious as to why, in this age of OOP, C is ...
42
votes
15answers
7k views
Is it better to return NULL or empty values from functions/methods where the return value is not present?
I am looking for a recommendation here. I am struggling with whether it is better to return NULL or an empty value from a method when the return value is not present or cannot be determined.
Take ...
42
votes
14answers
6k views
When are Getters and Setters Justified
Getters and setters are often criticized as being not proper OO. On the other hand most OO code I've seen has extensive getters and setters.
When are getters and setters justified? Do you try to ...
41
votes
17answers
3k views
Is OO-programming really as important as hiring companies place it?
I am just finishing my masters degree (in computing) and applying for jobs.. I've noticed many companies specifically ask for an understanding of object orientation. Popular interview questions are ...
40
votes
8answers
2k views
Do object-oriented programming languages exist that are not class-based?
Are there any object-oriented programming languages that are not based on the class paradigm?
38
votes
2answers
2k views
So what *did* Alan Kay really mean by the term “object-oriented”?
Reportedly, Alan Kay is the inventor of the term "object oriented". And he is often quoted as having said that what we call OO today is not what he meant.
For example, I just found this on Google:
...
38
votes
7answers
2k views
How can I get my progress reviewed as a solo junior developer
I am currently working for a 2 person company, as the solo primary developer. My boss gets the clients, mocks up some png design templates and hands them over to me.
This system has been working fine ...
37
votes
11answers
4k views
Why is it good to split a program into multiple classes?
I'm still a student in high school (entering 10th grade), and I have yet to take an actual computer course in school. Everything I've done so far is through books. Those books have taught me concepts ...
37
votes
11answers
5k views
Advantages of object-oriented programming
Note: this question is an edited excerpt from a blog posting I wrote a few months ago. After placing a link to the blog in a comment on Programmers.SE someone requested that I post a question here so ...
37
votes
1answer
4k views
Should package names be singular or plural?
Often, in libraries especially, packages contains classes that are organized around a single concept. Examples: xml, sql, user, config, db. I think we all feel pretty naturally that these packages ...
36
votes
2answers
2k views
Are there any OO-principles that are practically applicable for Javascript?
Javascript is a prototype-based object oriented language but can become class-based in a variety of ways, either by:
Writing the functions to be used as classes by yourself
Use a nifty class system ...
33
votes
1answer
927 views
What's a generic word for both Methods and Attributes?
In a class diagram, each class contains methods and attributes. What's the correct word for describing both of them besides something generic such as contents or items?
Context:
The Orange class ...
32
votes
9answers
2k views
Code Smell: Inheritance Abuse
It's been generally accepted in the OO community that one should "favor composition over inheritance". On the other hand, inheritance does provide both polymorphism and a straightforward, terse way of ...
31
votes
20answers
4k views
Does Object Oriented Programming Really Model The Real World? [closed]
I've seen it commonly repeated the object oriented programming is based on modelling the real world, but is it?
It seems to me that is not true of anything outside of the business layer. My GUI ...
31
votes
9answers
2k views
What should be allowed inside getters and setters?
I got into an interesting internet argument about getter and setter methods and encapsulation. Someone said that all they should do is an assignment (setters) or a variable access (getters) to keep ...
30
votes
18answers
5k views
What would you do if your client required you not to use object-oriented programming?
I am writing a program to simulate the activity of ants in a grid (PDF). The ant can move around, pick up things and drop things.
The problem is while the action of the ants and the positions of each ...
30
votes
7answers
4k views
Can't I just use all static methods?
What's the difference between the two UpdateSubject methods below? I felt using static methods is better if you just want to operate on the entities. In which situations should I go with non-static ...
30
votes
17answers
4k views
Does OOP fulfill the promise of code reuse? What alternatives are there to achieve code reuse?
Perhaps the greatest promise of using object-oriented paradigm is the code reuse. Some dispute that this was achieved. Why was it (not) achieved?
Does code reuse as OOP defines it, make projects more ...
29
votes
12answers
6k views
Isn't MVC anti OOP?
The main idea behind OOP is to unify data and behavior in a single entity - the object. In procedural programming there is data and separately algorithms modifying the data.
In the ...
29
votes
8answers
1k views
Clarify the Single Responsibility Principle
The Single Responsibility Principle states that a class should do one and only one thing. Some cases are pretty clear cut. Others, though, are difficult because what looks like "one thing" when ...
28
votes
11answers
6k views
What's the benefit of object-oriented programming over procedural programming?
I'm trying to understand the difference between procedural languages like C and object-oriented languages like C++. I've never used C++, but I've been discussing with my friends on how to ...
27
votes
14answers
1k views
How to REALLY start thinking in terms of objects?
I work with a team of developers who all have several years of experience with languages such as C# and Java. Most of them are young enough to have been shown OOP as a standard way to develop ...
27
votes
2answers
950 views
What did Alan Kay mean by “assignment” in The Early History of Smalltalk?
I have been reading The Early History of Smalltalk and there are a few mentions of "assignment" which make me question my understanding of its meaning:
Though OOP came from many motivations, two ...
25
votes
8answers
8k views
Is ORM an Anti-Pattern? [closed]
I had a very stimulating and interessting discussion with a colleague about ORM and its pros and cons. In my opinion, an ORM is useful only in the rarest cases. At least in my experience.
But I don't ...
25
votes
5answers
1k views
Many small classes vs. logical (but) intricate inheritance
I'm wondering what is better in terms of good OOP desing, clean code, flexibility and avoiding code smells in the future. Image situation, where you have a lot of very similar objects you need to ...
25
votes
13answers
3k views
Why are objects passed by reference?
A young co-worker who was studying OO has asked me why every object is passed by reference, which is the opposite of primitive types or structs. It is a common characteristic of languages such as Java ...
24
votes
11answers
3k views
What is Object Oriented Programming ill-suited for?
In Martin Fowler's book Refactoring, Fowler speaks of how when developers learn something new, they don't consider when it's inappropriate for the job:
Ten years ago it was like that with objects. ...
24
votes
12answers
2k views
Why should a class be anything other than “abstract” or “final/sealed”?
After 10+ years of java/c# programming, I find myself creating either:
abstract classes: contract not meant to be instantiated as-is.
final/sealed classes: implementation not meant to serve as base ...
24
votes
12answers
5k views
Why does PHP have interfaces?
I noticed that as of PHP5, interfaces have been added to the language. However, since PHP is so loosely typed, it seems that most of the benefits of using interfaces is lost. Why is this included in ...
24
votes
6answers
11k views
Aggregation vs Composition
I understand what composition is in OOP ,but I am not able to get a clear idea of what Aggregation is . Can someone explain ?
23
votes
17answers
3k views
How can I feel more confident about my programming skills? [closed]
Programming isn't alien to me. I first starting doing markup (HTML, now please don't laugh at me) when I was 12 and a little bit of BASIC when I was 13 (I knew much about Flowcharts, Pseudocodes at ...
22
votes
9answers
2k views
Are abstract classes / methods obsolete?
I used to create a lot of abstract classes / methods. Then I started using interfaces.
Now I am not sure if interfaces aren't making abstract classes obsolete.
You need a fully abstract class? ...
22
votes
7answers
996 views
Pattern for a class that does only one thing
Let's say I have a procedure that does stuff:
void doStuff(initalParams) {
...
}
Now I discover that "doing stuff" is quite a compex operation. The procedure becomes large, I split it up into ...
21
votes
10answers
2k views
How many are too many interfaces on a class?
I would probably consider it a code smell or even an anti-pattern to have a class that implements 23 interfaces. If it is indeed an anti-pattern, what would you call it? Or is it simply just not ...
21
votes
11answers
1k views
Is information hiding more than a convention?
In Java, C# and many other strongly-typed, statically checked languages, we are used to write code like this:
public void m1() { ... }
protected void m2() { ... }
private void m2() { ... }
void m2() ...
21
votes
16answers
2k views
How large non-OO code bases are managed?
I always see abstraction is a very useful feature the OO provides for managing the code-base. But how are large non-OO code bases are managed? Or do those just become a "Big Ball of Mud" eventually?
...
21
votes
11answers
1k views
Is pure oop necessary
Please don't direct me to this post: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1551/how-to-think-in-oo.
I have read it and still have no answer.
I have programmed c++ for years and was taught that ...
21
votes
6answers
2k views
Explanation on how “Tell, Don't Ask” is considered good OO
This blogpost was posted on Hacker News with several upvotes. Coming from C++, most of these examples seem to go against what I've been taught.
Such as example #2:
Bad:
def ...
