Chapter 1. Object-oriented Design
In software development, design is often considered as the step done before programming. This isn't true; in reality, analysis, programming, and design tend to overlap, combine, and interweave. In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:
- What object-oriented means
- The difference between object-oriented design and object-oriented programming
- The basic principles of an object-oriented design
- Basic Unified Modeling Language (UML) and when it isn't evil
Introducing object-oriented
Everyone knows what an object is—a tangible thing that we can sense, feel, and manipulate. The earliest objects we interact with are typically baby toys. Wooden blocks, plastic shapes, and over-sized puzzle pieces are common first objects. Babies learn quickly that certain objects do certain things: bells ring, buttons press, and levers pull.
The definition of an object in software development is not terribly different. Software objects are not typically...
