The Object-Oriented Programming Paradigm

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a way of organizing software around objects, which are like digital "things" combining data and behaviors. These objects represent real-world entities—such as a car, a person, or a bank account—and can interact with each other. OOP uses concepts like inheritance (sharing traits), encapsulation (hiding details), and polymorphism (using objects interchangeably) to make programs more modular, reusable, and easier to maintain. This approach mirrors how we think about the world, making complex systems more intuitive to design and understand.