Object-Oriented vs. Functional Programming

Object-oriented programming (OOP) and functional programming are two popular paradigms used in software development. Below, we explain the key differences between the two approaches along with examples of when to use each.

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

In object-oriented programming, data and behaviors are encapsulated within objects. Objects can communicate with each other through methods and properties, allowing for modular and reusable code. OOP focuses on modeling real-world entities as objects with attributes and methods.

Example: When building a banking application, you can use OOP to represent each account as an object with properties such as account number, balance, and methods for deposit and withdrawal.

Functional Programming

Functional programming treats computations as mathematical functions without relying on state and mutable data. Functions in functional programming are pure, meaning they always return the same output for a given input, making code predictable and easier to reason about.

Example: When processing a large dataset and applying a series of transformations, functional programming can be a suitable approach due to its emphasis on immutability and avoiding side effects.