Object-oriented design fascinates me. It feels natural and intuitive. Almost everything I deal with—tangible or abstract—can be understood as an object. That’s the beauty of it. This way of thinking helps me break down even the most complex problems into manageable pieces. Let me take you through the idea of objects in object-oriented design, step by step.
What Is Object Orientation?
Object orientation is more than just a programming technique; it’s a powerful design philosophy. Rather than focusing solely on how something works, I shift my attention to what something is. That change in perspective makes all the difference. By doing so, I start to see systems as organized collections of interacting elements—each one playing a role.
Each of these elements is an object. They carry their own data. They know how to act. When needed, they interact with others. Because of this behavior, object orientation gives me a way to mirror the real world within software design.
What Are Objects?
So, what are objects?
At first glance, I think of everyday items: a chair, a house, or a car. Each of these is a complete unit, yet each one also consists of smaller components. Consider the following:
- A chair includes a backrest, a seat, and legs.
- A house contains walls, windows, and rooms.
- A car is built from wheels, an engine, and a body.
Books can also be seen this way—split into covers and pages. From this point of view, everything in my surroundings seems to be made of layered objects.
Object orientation doesn’t stop at physical things. It goes further, treating abstract ideas as objects too. For instance:
- Memberships
- Employment contracts
- Deliveries
- Office workflows
- Project phases
- Seasonal events
- Even winning the lottery or hiring someone
When I reflect on this, a surprising idea emerges: perhaps the world really is made up of objects. That realization is at the heart of object-oriented thinking.
Modeling with Objects
This concept leads directly to how I model systems. The world, in this mindset, becomes a structured collection of objects and their relationships. However, I don’t attempt to model the entire universe. Instead, I narrow my focus to a specific area—the part relevant to the problem I want to solve.
Say I’m developing a warehouse management system. Weather patterns or company holidays won’t matter. My focus remains tightly on the warehouse and its operations. That defines my context.
Within this context, I see an object as any unit I can clearly identify and separate from its surroundings. What counts as an object depends entirely on the scope of the problem. When I choose to model only what’s necessary, I reduce complexity and sharpen focus.
Real-world scenarios are rarely simple. They come with countless connections, variables, and interactions. It’s impossible to include everything in one model. That’s why I use abstraction. Abstraction lets me strip away irrelevant details while keeping essential ones.
The models I create this way don’t show the full picture. Still, they’re detailed enough to let me build functioning, useful systems. Computations based on these models are fast and targeted. Of course, the results only apply to the assumptions built into the model. That’s why I always interpret them in context, adjusting for the real-world situation afterward.
Objects in my model represent things I judge important. That judgment shapes the outcome. The better my understanding of the problem, the more accurate the model—and the more useful the results.
Final Thoughts
So, what are objects in object-oriented design? They’re more than just things I can touch. In object-oriented thinking, they’re the core elements of understanding and design. Whether I’m modeling a warehouse, a business process, or a hiring decision, I treat each of those elements as objects.
This approach allows me to focus on what matters. It keeps my systems simple, clear, and powerful. Object orientation, therefore, isn’t just a method—it’s a mindset.
And when I ask again what are objects, I now see them as everything I need to define, control, and connect to solve a real-world problem efficiently and effectively.
Credits: Photo with wood by Markus Winkler from Pexels
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