{"id":6482,"date":"2019-09-16T22:06:52","date_gmt":"2019-09-16T22:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/?p=6482"},"modified":"2022-07-20T08:58:48","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T15:58:48","slug":"what-is-a-java-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/what-is-a-java-class\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Java Class?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you decide to explore the question of which programming language is the most widely-used, a common answer you’ll come across is Java. Since its introduction by James Gosling of the Oracle corporation in 1996, Java has found use in applications ranging from machine learning to web development, and everything in between. 
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It even does pretty well when compared against<\/a> another rockstar language: Python.
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For this reason, anyone aspiring to a fantastic career in technology<\/a> would do well to learn the basics of Java<\/a>. An understanding of classes is an important step in this process.
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In this piece, we’re going to explore what classes are and the vital role they play in Java programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What Is a Class?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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You can\u2019t be a great programmer without understanding the tools provided by the language you work in. 
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In object-oriented programming, classes can be thought of as modifiable templates which allow for the creation of an unlimited number of instances, each of which possesses the attributes and methods of the class definition.  
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In order to concretize this a little bit, let’s consider an example. Say I’ve defined a class called ‘Car’, with an attribute ‘color’ and a function ‘make_sound’. Now I can use this class definition to make instances of Car,  which I’ll name ‘red_car’ and ‘blue_car’. By default, \u2018red_car\u2019 and \u2018blue_car\u2019 have access to the attribute and function defined in the ‘Car’ class. 
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The advantage here should be obvious. If I need to make a large number of objects which share certain features in common, it doesn’t make any sense to define each of them individually. By instead writing a class and using it to make instances, I can save myself a lot of effort.  
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But this isn’t all. Classes can inherit from one another. I could now define a ‘Motorcycle’ class which borrows the ‘make_sound’ method from the Car class, saving myself the necessity of building that function again. 
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Though this is a trivial example, it does illustrate the awesome power of abstraction in programming. The best coders don’t get to where they are by writing lots and lots of pointless code. They get there by being as parsimonious as they can be with their thinking and work.  
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Classes are an important part of the process of becoming a more efficient programmer.
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How Do Classes Work In Java?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Make sure your code is working as hard as you do. 
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All of the comments made so far about classes apply to classes in Java as well. There are a handful of features which you’ll see in almost all Java class definitions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n