How to define Object-oriented Programming.

My proposal is:

Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a program design pattern where employing abstraction and inheritance we can solve polymorphic problems including but not limited to decoupling.

@Naimish Makwana, thank you for your thoughtful answers. Unfortunately, again I can recognize the following statement as confusing:

Reference types, on the other hand, are stored as references to the location of the data in memory.

Talking about memory there is no doubt that we are talking about the run-time stage of the program. Software developers must not be aware of the existence of memory, because it is only part of the execution machine. Today modern computers use virtual memories and as far as I know there is no simple mapping between the behavior of reference types and terms like heap, and stack. In general, RAM is recognized by software developers as a kind of memory working utilizing statistics.

My point is that at design time for reference type we may say that there are two values, namely the reference itself (pointer, address, etc) and the proper value. In case, there is no proper value at all we may use the common constant  "null" to be used in the assignment statement. Hence in the OOP-ready languages, for reference types, it makes sense the following code snippet

if (sth == null)
{..}
else 
{..}

but for the value types, it doesn't.

Thanks for your feedback.

@Sam Hobbs, thanks for your thought. Let me explain my goal. At the end of the day, I want to discuss a topic not just ask a simple question. Maybe there are better forms.

In the sentence "the OOP-ready programming language" it could be better to use the plural of the noun language, namely languages. I mean all languages that support OOP somehow, for example, C#, Jave, C++, etc.

My point is that polymorphism is rather a problem that can be solved (addressed) using abstraction and inheritance but not the paradigm in the context of the OOP concept. Again it is a question about the cause and outcome. For example, can we state that applying the polymorphism it is possible to solve sth.. Alternatively, it is better to say if there is a polymorphic problem by applying abstraction and inheritance you can solve it.

Your title asks about  Object-Oriented Programming but the question in your body asks about polymorphism and says the OOP-ready programming language. The word the implies one specific programming language therefore I am unclear about what that means. Later you ask about reference types. I am not sure what the question is.

Perhaps part ot the answer is that objects are a concept that programming languages implement, some better than others.

You’re correct that in many programming languages, objects can be instantiated from other constructs beyond just classes. For example, in JavaScript, objects can be created directly from object literals, constructors, and the Object.create() method.

As for value types and reference types, the main difference lies in how they are stored and accessed:

• Value types are stored directly. When you assign a value type to another, the value is copied directly. If you change one variable, it does not affect the other. Examples of value types are most primitive data types like int, char, float, etc.

• Reference types, on the other hand, are stored as references to the location of the data in memory. When you assign a reference type to another, both variables refer to the same memory location – so if you change one, it changes the other. Examples of reference types include classes, interfaces, arrays, etc.

The concept of classes, value types, and reference types can indeed vary between languages. While classes are a common feature in many OOP languages (like Java, C++, and Python), the specifics of how they work and are used can differ. Similarly, the distinction between value types and reference types can also vary between languages.

In a more general sense, OOP is about organizing and structuring code in a way that is intuitive, reusable, and scalable. It’s about encapsulating data and the methods that operate on that data into discrete “objects”, and using these objects to model and solve problems. This can be done in many ways, and with many different constructs, depending on the language you’re using. 

Thanks

"Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm that uses “objects” - my concern is if we are talking about programming. Objects are instantiated at run time as a result of OOP. Hence Object can't be recognized as a contributor to OO Programming. We must not confuse cause and effect. Agree?

ANS : I agree with your point to an extent. In the context of OOP, the term “object” is indeed a result of the paradigm, not a contributor to it. Objects are instances of classes that are created at runtime, as you’ve mentioned.

However, when we say that OOP is a paradigm that uses “objects”, we’re referring to the way in which OOP structures its code and organizes data. In OOP, data and functions (methods) that operate on that data are bundled into units called “objects”. This is a fundamental aspect of how OOP approaches problem-solving: by modeling problems as interactive objects.

So, while objects are instantiated at runtime as a result of using OOP, the concept of an “object” (as a bundle of data and methods) is a fundamental part of the definition and understanding of what OOP is. It’s more about the idea of “objects” as an organizing principle for how we structure and interact with our code

Thanks

@Naimish Makwana - " These objects represent real-world entities and are created using classes" - again, what about reference types? The objects can be instantiated not only using classes; as far as I know.  It yields a question of what is the difference between the value and reference types.  Talking about classes, we must talk about selected programming language because it is a syntax and semantics construct, but  I am interested in getting a more general answer.

@ Naimish Makwana - "Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm that uses “objects” - my concern is if we are talking about programming. Objects are instantiated at run time as a result of OOP. Hence Object can't be recognized as a contributor to OO Programming. We must not confuse cause and effect. Agree?

1. What is Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)?

   Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm that uses “objects” to design applications and software. These objects represent real-world entities and are created using classes, which are blueprints for creating an object. Each object can have properties (also known as attributes or fields) and behaviors (also known as methods). The key concepts of OOP are encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction.

2. What problems can be solved using OOP?

   OOP is a versatile and widely-used paradigm that can be used to solve a broad range of problems. It’s particularly useful for building large, complex software systems and applications because it allows for code reuse and modularity, which can make the code more readable, maintainable, and scalable. It’s also commonly used in game development, GUI applications, web applications, and much more.

As for your concern, the term “object” is indeed a concept defined by OOP-ready programming languages. An object is an instance of a class and can have properties and behaviors.

Polymorphism is not a problem to be solved, but rather a concept or feature provided by OOP. It allows objects of different types to be treated as objects of a parent type, making it possible to write more general and reusable code. For example, if you have a parent class Animal and child classes Dog and Cat, polymorphism allows you to treat Dog and Cat objects as Animal objects. This can be particularly useful in scenarios where the exact type of the object may not be known until runtime.

Thanks