The Object-Oriented Thought Process

The Object-Oriented Thought Process, Fourth Edition

An introduction to object-oriented concepts for developers looking to master modern application practices

Object-oriented programming (OOP) is the foundation of modern programming languages, including C++, Java, C#, Visual Basic .NET, Ruby, and Objective-C. Objects also form the basis for many web technologies such as JavaScript, Python, and PHP.

It is of vital importance to learn the fundamental concepts of object orientation before starting to use object-oriented development environments. OOP promotes good design practices, code portability, and reuse–but it requires a shift in thinking to be fully understood. Programmers new to OOP should resist the temptation to jump directly into a particular programming language (such as Objective-C, VB .NET, C++, C# .NET, or Java) or a modeling language (such as UML), and instead first take the time to learn what author Matt Weisfeld calls “the object-oriented thought process.”

Written by a developer for developers who want to make the leap to object-oriented technologies, The Object-Oriented Thought Process provides a solutions-oriented approach to object-oriented programming. Readers will learn to understand the proper uses of inheritance and composition, the difference between aggregation and association, and the important distinction between interfaces and implementations.

While programming technologies have been changing and evolving over the years, object-oriented concepts remain a constant–no matter what the platform. This revised edition focuses on interoperability across programming technologies, whether you are using objects in traditional application design, in XML-based data transactions, in web page development, in mobile apps, or in any modern programming environment.

“Programmers who aim to create high quality software–as all programmers should–must learn the varied subtleties of the familiar yet not so familiar beasts called objects and classes. Doing so entails careful study of books such as Matt Weisfeld’s The Object-Oriented Thought Process.”

–Bill McCarty, author of Java Distributed Objects, and Object-Oriented Design in Java

Contents at a Glance

1 Introduction to Object-Oriented Concepts

2 How to Think in Terms of Objects

3 Advanced Object-Oriented Concepts

4 The Anatomy of a Class

5 Class Design Guidelines

6 Designing with Objects

7 Mastering Inheritance and Composition

8 Frameworks and Reuse: Designing with Interfaces and Abstract Classes

9 Building Objects and Object-Oriented Design

10 Creating Object Models

11 Objects and Portable Data: XML and JSON

12 Persistent Objects: Serialization, Marshaling, and Relational Databases

13 Objects in Web Services, Mobile Apps, and Hybrids

14 Objects and Client/Server Applications

15 Design Patterns

About the Author

Matt Weisfeld is a college professor, software developer, and author based in Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to teaching college full time, he spent 20 years in the information technology industry as a software developer, entrepreneur, and adjunct professor. Weisfeld holds an MS in computer science and an MBA. Besides the first three editions of The Object-Oriented Thought Process, he has authored two other software development books and published many articles in magazines and journals, such as developer.com, Dr. Dobb’s Journal, The C/C++ Users Journal, Software Development Magazine, Java Report, and the international journal Project Management.