Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) principles and their application in Java.

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm that uses the concept of “objects” to organize code. It revolves around the four main principles: encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction. I’ll explain each principle and how they are applied in Java:

Encapsulation:

• Encapsulation is when data and the methods that work with the data are bundled together into a single unit called a class. It restricts access to some of the object’s components and prevents the accidental modification of data.
• Application in Java: In Java, you can use access modifiers (private, protected, public) to control the visibility of variables and methods. For example:
• public class Car { private String model; public String getModel() { return model; } public void setModel(String model) { this.model = model; } }
• Here, the model variable is encapsulated within the Car class, and access is provided through getter and setter methods.

Inheritance:

• Definition: Inheritance is a mechanism that allows a class to inherit properties and behaviors from another class, establishing a relationship between them. The class that is inherited from is called the superclass (or base class), and the class that inherits is called the subclass (or derived class).
• Application in Java: In Java, you can use the extends keyword to achieve inheritance. For example:
• public class SportsCar extends Car { // Additional properties and methods specific to SportsCar }
• Here, SportsCar is a subclass of the Car class, inheriting its properties and methods.

Polymorphism:

• Definition: Polymorphism allows objects of different classes to be treated as objects of a common base class. It allows a single interface to be used for a general class of actions.
• Application in Java: Polymorphism in Java can be achieved through method overriding and interfaces. For example:
• public class Animal { public void makeSound() { System.out.println("Some generic sound"); } } public class Dog extends Animal { @Override public void makeSound() { System.out.println("Bark!"); } }
• Here, both Animal and Dog have a makeSound method, and when you treat a Dog object as an Animal, the overridden method in the Dog class is invoked.

Abstraction:

• Definition: Abstraction is the process of hiding the complex implementation details and showing only the necessary features of an object.
• Application in Java: In Java, abstraction is achieved through abstract classes and interfaces. For example:
• public abstract class Shape { abstract double area(); }
• Here, Shape is an abstract class with an abstract method area(). Concrete subclasses (e.g., Circle, Rectangle) provide their own implementations of the area() method.

These principles collectively contribute to the flexibility, modularity, and maintainability of code in object-oriented systems like Java. They enable developers to create reusable and understandable code by modeling real-world entities and their interactions.