Advanced Topics in Java: Core Concepts in Data Structures

CHAPTER 2

Introduction to Objects

In this chapter, we will explain the following:

• What is a class, an object, a field, and a method
• That an object variable does not hold an object but, rather, a pointer (or reference) to where the object is actually located
• The distinction between a class variable (also called a static variable) and an instance variable (also called a non-static variable)
• The distinction between a class method (also called a static method) and an instance method (also called a non-static method)
• What the access modifiers public, private, and protected mean
• What is meant by information hiding
• How to refer to class and instance ...