Java Buzzwords

Buzzwords I had to learn for my CSA class. Originally the assignment was to write a Quiz program yourself (where you type the answers), but after dealing with capitalization, dashes, and endings for 20 minutes, I decided flashcards were better.

27 flashcards · Computer Science · by andrei-akopian

1. Top-down development|top-down development|top down development|Top down development

   a design in which you first define the general structure of the program, laying out high-level classes, and then refine the design of each class. You start designing the program in large pieces and then break down the pieces into smaller pieces.

2. Bottom-up development|Bottom up development|bottom-up development|bottom up development

   identify lower-level methods that you can write and then put together to form a bigger program. Implement(write) lowest level, independent class first.

3. Encapsulation|encapsulation

   the idea that each object (in Object Oriented Programming) protects and manages its own information. It's the idea that objects travel with their fields and behaviors. Combining an object's data and methods into a single unit.

4. Run-time errors|Runtime errors|Runtime error |run-time error|runtime error|runtime errors

   occur when an index value is invalid, the program throws an out of bounds exception, endless loop, stack over flow, or the program crashes for another reason

5. Compilation errors|compilation errors|compilation error|Compilation error

   when the syntax is wrong, a method used in the program can't be found, or a method isn't called correctly

6. Logic errors|logic errors|Logic error|logic error

   when a program runs but produces the wrong output

7. Inheritance|inheritance

   allows the programmer to state that one class extends another class, inheriting its features. "IS-A" relationship

8. Object-oriented programming|object-oriented|object oriented programming|Object Oriented programming|Object oriented programming

   a programming methodology based on designing the program as a world of interacting objects arranged in hierarchies of classes and using encapsulation and polymorphism.

9. Abstraction|abstraction|Abstractions|abstractions

   The idea that users of a class should focus on the specifications and not on the implementation of the class they are using. In other words, if you use the String substring method, you just have to worry about using the method and not how it works--meaning the details of how it works don't matter to the person using the method.

10. Data Structure|Data Structures|data structure|data structures

    a way of organizing data combined with methods of accessing and manipulating the data.

11. Override|Overriding|Overrides|override|overriding|overrides

    when a subclass contains a method with the same signature as a method in its parent class

12. Overload|overload

    when a class has two methods with the same return type and names BUT with different parameters

13. Binary search|binary search

    uses divide and conquer method for quickly finding a target value in a sorted array.

14. Accessors|accessors|accessor|Accessor

    these types of methods return values of instance variables. Instance variables: describes the objects attributes-the current state of an object of constructors. This is another way to refer to fields.

15. Modifiers|modifiers|modifier|Modifier

    a public method that sets a new value of an instance variable. Often called setter methods.

16. Class hierarchy|hierarchy

    exist to allow reuse of code from higher classes in the lower classes without duplication and to promote a more logical design.

17. Instance methods|instance methods|instance method|Instance method

    These are not static methods. These methods are called for a particular object--often the object's name and dot are used as a prefix in a call.

18. Null|null

    Java reserved word that stands for a reference with a value of nothing.

19. Polymorphism|polymorphism

    a mechanism that assures that the correct method is called for an object disguised as a more generic type. When the behavior of a method is determined at run-time. It's the idea that we can refer to objects of different but related types in the same way. This occurs when a method has been overridden in at least one subclass.

20. Information hiding|hiding information

    making all instance variables and helper methods that are used only inside the class private. The clients of a class can then use that class only through getter/setter methods. It help enforce the principle that you can use a method someone else wrote without knowing/understanding the code.

21. Driver Program|driver program

    a program whose sole purpose is to test/run a given method or class. (You might use a driver program as you are writing a bottom-up program.) The purpose of the driver is to test the class fully before incorporating it as an object in a new class. When each independent class is working, classes that depend on others are implemented and tested and so on. A driver program has a main().

22. Composition|composition

    HAS-A relationship. E.g. X HAS-A Y means that Y is a data member (instance variable) of X

23. Independent Classes|independent classes|independent class

    They don't use other classes of the program in its code. _________ are fully implemented and tested before being incorporated into the overall project.

24. Static variable|static variable

    contains a value that is shared by all instances of the class. Also know as as a class variable. No matter how many objects of this class are created, there is only one memory location for this variable.

25. Mutator method|mutator method

    changes at least one of the state/fields of an object

26. Stub|stub

    dummy method call by another method being tested

27. Instantiate|instantiate

    The creating of a new object. For example, Person bob = new Person("Bob")