Chapter Four

Objects and Classes

Here starts
the lesson!

Instructor – Zaheredin S.
Chapter Four Contents! Chapter Four Contents!

4.1 – Object variables 4.3 – Instantiating and using

Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 4.1 – Object Variables
● We know that, java is an Object-Oriented programming
language.
● As a language that has the Object Oriented feature,
Java supports the following fundamental concepts:
 Polymorphism  Classes
 Inheritance  Objects
 Encapsulation  Method
 Abstraction  Message Parsing

1
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
Object in java
● An entity that has state and behavior is known as an
object. It can be physical or logical (tangible and
intangible).
● The example of intangible object is banking system.
Let us now look deep into what are objects.
● If we consider the real world we can find many objects
around us, Cars, Dogs, Humans, etc. All these objects
have a state and behavior.

2
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
● If we consider a dog, then its state is - name, breed,
color, and the behavior is - barking, wagging, running.
● Another Example: Pen is an object. Its name is Reynolds,
color is white etc. known as its state. It is used to
write, so writing is its behavior.
● If you compare the software object with a real world
object, they have very similar characteristics.
● Software objects also have a state and behavior.
● A software object's state is stored in fields and
behavior is shown via methods.

3
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
● Therefore, in software development, methods operate on
the internal state of an object and the object-to-object
communication is done via methods.
● Object is an instance of a class. Class is a template or
blueprint from which objects are created. So object is
the instance(result) of a class.

4
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
An object has three characteristics:
● state: represents data (value) of an object.
● behavior: represents the behavior (functionality) of an
object.
● identity: Object identity is typically implemented via a
unique ID. The value of the ID is not visible to the
external user. But, it is used internally by the JVM to
identify each object uniquely.

5
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 4.2 - Defining a class
Classes in Java
● A class is a group of objects that has common
properties and behaviour.
● A class is a blue print from which individual objects are
created or it describes the behaviors/states that object
of its type support.
● Syntax to declare a class:
class <class_name>{
data member;
method;
}
6
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 A sample of a class is given below
A class can contains
class Dog{
String breed; ● Any number of methods to
String color; access the value of various
int age; kinds of methods. In the
void barking(){ above example, barking(),
hungry() are methods.
} ● data member
void hungry(){ ● constructor
block
}
●

} ● class and interface

7
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 4.3 - Instantiating and using objects
Creating an Object
● In java, creating an object of the class is called
instantiation.
● As mentioned previously, a class provides the blueprints
for objects.
● Therefore, an object is created from a class.
● In Java, the new key word is used to create new
objects.
● Syntax for object instantiation.
ClassName objName = new ClassName();
8
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
There are three steps when creating an object from a class:
● Declaration: A variable declaration with a variable name
with an object type.
● Instantiation: The 'new' key word is used to create the
object.
● Initialization: The 'new' keyword is followed by a call to
a constructor. This call initializes the new object.

Example of creating and using an object is given below:

9
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
class Student{
int id;
String name;
public static void main(String []args){
// creating an object std
Student std = new Student();
System.out.println(std.id);
System.out.println(std.name);
Output
} 0
} null

10
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Difference between instantiation and initialization
Instantiation initialization
● Creating an object by using ● Assigning a value to a
the new keyword is called variable is called
Instantiation. initialization.
● For example: ● For example: age = 45.
String str = new String();
● It sets the initial value of
● It creates an instance of the variable age to 45.
String class.

11
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
Declaring a Variable to Refer to an Object
● Previously, you learned that to declare a variable, you
write: type name;
● This notifies the compiler that you will use name to
refer to data whose type is type. With a primitive
variable, this declaration also reserves the proper
amount of memory for the variable.
● You can also declare a reference variable on its own
line. For example:
Point originOne;

12
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
● If you declare originOne like this, its value will be
undetermined until an object is actually created and
assigned to it.
● Simply declaring a reference variable does not create an
object. For that, you need to use the new operator, as
described in the next section.
● You must assign an object to originOne before you use
it in your code. Otherwise, you will get a compiler error.

13
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 4.4 - Instance fields, Constructors and
methods
1. Instance variable in Java
● A variable that is created inside the class but outside
the method, is known as instance variable.
● Instance variable doesn't get memory at compile time.
● It gets memory at runtime when object(instance) is
created. That is why, it is known as instance variable.
2. Method in Java
● In java, a method is like function i.e. used to represent
behaviour of an object.
14
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
● A method is a block of code or collection of statements
or a set of code grouped together to perform a certain
task or operation.
Advantage of Method
○ Code Reusability
○ Code Optimization

15
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
3. Constructors
● in java, constructor is a special type of method that is
used to initialize the object.
● It is invoked at the time of object creation.
● It constructs the values i.e. provides data for the object
that is why it is known as constructor.
● Every class has a constructor.
● If we do not explicitly write a constructor for a class,
the Java compiler builds a default constructor for that
class.

16
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
● Each time a new object is created, at least one
constructor will be invoked.
● A class can have more than one constructor.
● A constructor is called automatically when a new
instance of an object is created.
Here’s the basic format for coding a constructor:
public ClassName (parameter-list) {
statements...
}

17
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
● Constructors have one purpose in life: to create an
instance of a class. This can also be called creating an
object.
● The purpose of methods is much more general.
● A method's basic function is to execute Java code.

18
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
Example of a constructor is given below:
class Puppy{
public Puppy(){

}
public Puppy(String name){
// This constructor has one parameter, name.
}
}
● Java also supports Singleton Classes where you would be
able to create only one instance of a class.
19
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
There are two types of constructors
 Default constructor (no-arg constructor)
 Parameterized constructor
I. Java Default Constructor
● A constructor that have no parameter is known as
default constructor.
● Syntax of default constructor:
<class_name>(){

}
20
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
Example of default constructor
class Dog1{
Dog1(){
System.out.println(“Dog is created");
}
public static void main(String args[]){
Dog1 d = new Dog1();
} Output
} Dog is created

21
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
● Default constructor provides the default values to the
object like 0, null etc. depending on the type.
class Student{ Output
int id; 0 null
String name;
void Display(){
System.out.println(id+" "+name);
}
public static void main(String args[]){
Student s=new Student();
s.Display();
}}
22
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
● Explanation: In the above class, you are not creating any
constructor so compiler provides you a default
constructor. Here 0 and null values are provided by
default constructor.
II. Java parameterized constructor
● A constructor that have parameters is known as
parameterized constructor.
Why use parameterized constructor?
● Parameterized constructor is used to provide different
values to the distinct objects. Example:

23
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
class Student{ Output
int id; 111 tommy
String name;
public Student(int i, String n){
id = i;
name = n;
System.out.println(id+" "+name);
}
public static void main(String []args){
Student std = new Student(111, "tommy");
}
}
24
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Difference between constructor and method
Constructor Method
● It is used to initialize the ● It is used to expose
state of an object. behaviour of an object.
● Must not have return type. ● Method must have return
● It is invoked implicitly. type.
● The java compiler provides a ● Method is invoked
default constructor if you explicitly.
don't have any constructor. ● It is not provided by
● Constructor name must be compiler in any case.
same as the class name. ● Method name may or may
not same as class name.
25
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
Accessing Instance Variables and Methods
● Instance variables and methods are accessed via
created objects.
● To access an instance variable and method the fully
qualified path should be as follows:
// First create an object
ObjectReference = new Constructor ();
// Now call a variable as follows
ObjectReference.variableName;
// Now you can call a class method as follows
ObjectReference.MethodName();
26
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
Example to access instance variables & methods.
class Puppy{
int puppyAge;
public Puppy(String name){
System.out.println("Passed Name is :" + name );
}
public void setAge( int age ){
puppyAge = age;
}
public int getAge( ){
return puppyAge;
}
27
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
 Cont…
public static void main(String []args){
Puppy p = new Puppy( "tommy" );
//Call class method to set puppy's age
p.setAge( 2 );
//Call another class method to get puppy's age
p.getAge( );
//You can access instance variable as follows as well
System.out.println(" Puppy's age is :" + p.puppyAge);
}
} Output
Passed Name is :tommy
Puppy's age is :2

28
Instructor – Zaheredin S.
END
Thank You!