What is the Difference Between Object Oriented Programming and Procedural Programming?

🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and Procedural Programming are two different programming paradigms. Here are the main differences between them:

  1. Structure: In OOP, the program is divided into small parts called objects, while in procedural programming, the program is divided into small parts called functions.
  2. Approach: Procedural programming follows a top-down approach, while OOP follows a bottom-up approach.
  3. Data and Methods: In OOP, data and methods are combined together in a class or object, while in procedural programming, data and methods are treated as separate entities.
  4. Code Reusability: Code reusability is present in OOP, while it is absent in procedural programming.
  5. Languages: Examples of languages used in OOP include Java, C++, C#, Python, PHP, JavaScript, Ruby, Perl, Objective-C, Dart, Swift, and Scala. Examples of procedural programming languages include C, FORTRAN, Pascal, and Basic.
  6. Design Concepts: In OOP, the design process involves creating classes and objects, while procedural programming focuses on solving problems from the top of the code down to the bottom.

In summary, OOP is a more structured and modular approach to programming, where data and methods are combined into objects, while procedural programming focuses on steps and functions to solve problems. OOP is generally used for designing large and complex programs, while procedural programming is more suitable for smaller and simpler applications.

Comparative Table: Object Oriented Programming vs Procedural Programming

Here is a table comparing the differences between object-oriented programming and procedural programming:

Feature Object-Oriented Programming Procedural Programming
Definition Object-oriented programming is a model that uses classes and objects to create models based on the real-world environment. Procedural programming is a model derived based on the concept of calling procedures, which consist of a series of computational steps.
Approach Bottom-up approach. Step-by-step approach.
Focus Data (objects) are more important than functions. Functions are more important than data.
Data Hiding Offers data hiding, making it more secure. Does not have proper data hiding, making it less secure.
Inheritance Supports inheritance. Does not support inheritance.
Access Specifiers Has access specifiers like private, public, protected, etc.. No access specifiers.
Reusability Easy to add new data and functions, promotes code reusability. Adding new data and functions is not easy.
Design Concepts Objects, classes, and data fields. Procedures, records, and modules.

In summary, object-oriented programming focuses on creating models based on the real-world environment using classes and objects, while procedural programming follows a step-by-step approach to solve problems. Object-oriented programming is more secure and promotes code reusability, whereas procedural programming is less flexible and more focused on functions than data.