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Week 8

The document outlines the process of identifying classes and their relationships in object-oriented programming, particularly in C++. It emphasizes understanding the problem domain, recognizing real-world entities, and establishing relationships such as association, aggregation, composition, and inheritance. An example scenario of a Library Management System illustrates these concepts with specific classes and their interactions.

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8 views8 pages

Week 8

The document outlines the process of identifying classes and their relationships in object-oriented programming, particularly in C++. It emphasizes understanding the problem domain, recognizing real-world entities, and establishing relationships such as association, aggregation, composition, and inheritance. An example scenario of a Library Management System illustrates these concepts with specific classes and their interactions.

Uploaded by

mhammadullah822
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Object Oriented

Programming
Week – 8
BS CS 2nd Semester
Identification of classes and
their relationships
• Identifying classes and their relationships in C++ (or any object-
oriented programming language) is a crucial step in designing
software.
• This involves determining the main entities in your system, defining
their responsibilities, and establishing how they interact with each
other.
1. Identifying Classes
a. Understand the Problem Domain
 Analyze the requirements: Understand what the software is supposed to do. Look
at the requirements or problem statement.
 Identify key nouns: Nouns often indicate potential classes.
 For example, in a banking application, nouns like "Account," "Customer," and
"Transaction" might suggest potential classes.
b. Look for Real-World Entities
 Identify real-world objects that the software needs to model.
 For instance, in a library management system, books, members, and librarians are
real-world entities that can be modeled as classes.
1. Identifying Classes (Contd.)
c. Group Related Attributes and Behaviors
 Group related data and behaviors together.
 For example, an "Account" class might have attributes like accountNumber and
balance and methods like deposit() and withdraw().
d. Avoid Excessive Granularity
 Don’t create too many small, fine-grained classes for every little thing.
 Aim for a balance where classes represent meaningful concepts in your system.
2. Establishing Relationships
Between Classes
•a. Association
 Definition: A relationship where one class uses or interacts with another. It represents a "uses-a"
or "has-a" relationship.
 Example: A Customer class might have an association with an Account class because a customer
has an account.
•b. Aggregation
 Definition: A special form of association that represents a "whole-part" relationship, where the
part can exist independently of the whole.
 Example: A Library class might aggregate a Book class. Books can exist independently of a
specific library.
2. Establishing Relationships
Between Classes
•c. Composition
 Definition: A stronger form of aggregation where the part cannot exist independently of the
whole. This is a "contains-a" relationship with strict ownership.
 Example: A Car class might have a Engine class. The engine cannot exist independently of the
car; if the car is destroyed, so is the engine.
•d. Inheritance
 Definition: A relationship where one class derives from another, inheriting its attributes and
behaviors. This represents an "is-a" relationship.
 Example: A SavingsAccount class might inherit from a base Account class because a savings
account is a type of account.
3. How to Identify Relationships
•Look for dependencies: Determine if a class relies on another class for some of its
operations. This could indicate an association.
•Check for ownership: If one class owns or is responsible for another class, this
may indicate aggregation or composition.
•Identify commonalities: If multiple classes share similar attributes or behaviors,
you might have an inheritance relationship.
•Review the problem domain: Revisit the problem requirements to ensure all
relationships make sense within the context.
Example Scenario
Consider a simple Library Management System:
1. Identify Classes:
o Book
o Member
o Librarian
o Library
2. Establish Relationships:
o Association: Member borrows a Book.
o Aggregation: Library contains Book.
o Composition: Library has a LibraryCatalog (if the catalog is destroyed when the library is destroyed).
o Inheritance: Librarian could inherit from a base class Person if there are shared attributes like name and address.

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