Chapter 3. Building Your First Bean

Following the code and examples included in the previous two chapters, we now have a fairly good understanding of what a ColdFusion component is, how to write one, how to create an object, and how to use the methods included within the CFC.

Object-oriented programming is a form of programming paradigm that utilizes "objects", structures of data that consist of data fields and methods, and the object interactions for development.

Focusing on data rather than processes, the OOP methodology uses self-sufficient modules (the objects), which contain all the information they require to manipulate their own data structure.

In this chapter, we will look at the first ColdFusion component within the OOP design pattern, the Bean.

We will also cover the following topics:

• What is a Bean?

• The benefits of using a Bean

• The requirements for a Bean

• Setting and retrieving values from the Object

What is a Bean?

Although the terminology evokes the initial reaction of cooking ingredients...