Introduction to OOPs

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What Is Object-Oriented Programming?

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm that models real-world entities using software objects. It helps in building large, complex, and real-life applications by organizing code around objects rather than just functions.

Python supports multiple paradigms such as procedural, functional, and object-oriented programming, but OOP is especially effective when applications involve real-world entities and interactions.

Why OOP Is Important for Real-Life Applications

Real-world problems naturally revolve around objects like employees, phones, vehicles, bank accounts, or remote controls.

OOP helps by:

• Representing real-world entities directly in code
• Grouping related data and behavior together
• Making applications easier to understand, maintain, and extend
• Supporting large-scale software development

For example:

• An Employee has properties like name and salary, and behaviors like work or get_salary
• A Remote Control has buttons (data) and actions like change_channel or increase_volume

Objects: The Building Blocks of OOP

An object is a real-world entity represented in code.

Each object has:

• Properties (Attributes): Data or state
• Behaviors (Methods): Actions the object can perform

Objects combine data and functionality into a single unit, improving clarity and organization.

Class: The Blueprint of Objects

A class is a blueprint or template used to create objects.

• It defines what properties and behaviors objects will have
• Objects created from a class are called instances
• Multiple objects can be created from the same class at runtime

Example:

• Class: Remote
• Objects: TV remote, AC remote, music system remote

Structure of a Class

In OOP terminology:

• Functions inside a class are called methods
• Variables inside a class are called attributes

Core OOP Architecture

At runtime:

• Python uses a class definition to create objects
• Each object maintains its own copy of data
• All objects share the same method definitions

This allows efficient memory usage and consistent behavior across objects.

Encapsulation: Data Protection Mechanism

Encapsulation is the process of:

• Bundling data (attributes) and behavior (methods) inside a class
• Restricting direct access to internal data
• Allowing interaction only through controlled methods

Benefits:

• Improves data security
• Prevents accidental modification
• Enforces clean and safe design

Summary

• OOP models real-life problems using objects.
• Objects combine data and behavior.
• Classes act as blueprints for creating objects.
• Encapsulation improves security and design.
• OOP is essential for scalable, maintainable Python applications.
• Functional and OOP paradigms work best together.