Explore the building blocks of modern technology.
Welcome to the foundational section of our documentation. Here, we delve into the core principles that underpin various technologies and programming paradigms. Understanding these concepts is crucial for anyone looking to build robust and efficient software.
Abstraction is the process of hiding complex reality while exposing only the essential features of an object. It allows us to manage complexity by focusing on what an object does rather than how it does it. This is a cornerstone of object-oriented programming.
For example, when you use a function like print(), you don't need to know the intricate details of how the operating system interacts with the printer hardware. You just need to know that calling print() will produce output on paper.
Encapsulation is the bundling of data (attributes) with methods (functions) that operate on that data. It's often referred to as "data hiding," where the internal state of an object is protected from direct external access. This promotes modularity and prevents unintended modifications.
Consider a BankAccount object. Encapsulation would ensure that you cannot directly change the balance property. Instead, you would use methods like deposit() and withdraw(), which can include logic to validate transactions.
class BankAccount {
private _balance: number;
constructor(initialBalance: number = 0) {
this._balance = initialBalance;
}
deposit(amount: number): void {
if (amount > 0) {
this._balance += amount;
console.log(`Deposited: ${amount}. New balance: ${this._balance}`);
} else {
console.error("Deposit amount must be positive.");
}
}
withdraw(amount: number): boolean {
if (amount > 0 && this._balance >= amount) {
this._balance -= amount;
console.log(`Withdrew: ${amount}. New balance: ${this._balance}`);
return true;
} else {
console.error("Withdrawal failed. Insufficient funds or invalid amount.");
return false;
}
}
getBalance(): number {
return this._balance;
}
}
Inheritance is a mechanism where a new class (subclass or derived class) inherits properties and behaviors from an existing class (superclass or base class). This promotes code reusability and establishes a hierarchical relationship between classes.
For instance, a Car class might inherit from a Vehicle class. The Car would automatically have properties like speed and methods like accelerate() from Vehicle, and could then add its own specific properties like numberOfDoors.
Polymorphism, meaning "many forms," allows objects of different classes to be treated as objects of a common superclass. It enables a single interface to represent different underlying forms (data types). This is often achieved through method overriding and interfaces.
Imagine a collection of Animal objects, where each object could be a Dog, Cat, or Bird. If you call a method like makeSound() on each animal in the collection, each object will perform its specific sound action (bark, meow, chirp) due to polymorphism.
Data structures are ways of organizing and storing data in a computer so that it can be accessed and modified efficiently. Common examples include:
Choosing the right data structure can significantly impact the performance of an algorithm.
Algorithms are step-by-step procedures or formulas for solving a problem or accomplishing a task. They are the logic behind how programs operate. Key aspects of algorithms include:
Common algorithm categories include sorting, searching, graph traversal, and dynamic programming.
Design patterns are reusable solutions to commonly occurring problems within a given context in software design. They are not a finished design that can be directly translated into code, but rather a description or template for how to solve a problem that can be used in many different situations.
Examples include:
To deepen your understanding, we recommend exploring the specific tutorials related to each of these concepts. You can navigate through our tutorials section for practical examples and implementations.