What is the Difference Between Object and Instance?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between an object and an instance lies in their relationship with classes and their context in object-oriented programming:
- Object: An object is a general concept that represents an instance of a class. It is created based on the blueprint or template provided by the class. Objects are concrete realizations of classes, and they can be used to access methods and fields specific to that class.
- Instance: An instance is a specific occurrence of a class at runtime. It is created using the "new" keyword and represents the unique memory allocation with its own set of properties. When you say "x is an instance," it implies "x is an instance of the X class," whereas when you say "x is an object," it does not carry that specific implication.
In summary, all instances are objects, but not all objects are instances. The term "instance" is used to emphasize the relationship with a specific class, while "object" is a more general term that refers to a concrete realization of a class.
Comparative Table: Object vs Instance
Here is a table comparing the differences between an object and an instance:
| Object | Instance |
|---|---|
| An object is a software bundle of related state and behavior. | An instance is a single and unique unit of a class. |
| Objects can refer to more than one instance (e.g., a model containing parts). | An instance refers to a single object. |
| Objects are primarily used with Object-Oriented Programming and can have custom properties. | Instances have standard properties such as Size, Color, and Position. |
| Objects can create unique instances with custom properties (e.g., a car with max speed, color, etc.). | Instances are not expandable in nature and will always have the same instance types used commonly by developers. |
In summary, an object is a general concept that represents a bundle of related state and behavior, while an instance is a specific realization of that concept. Objects can have custom properties and can refer to multiple instances, whereas instances are standardized and refer to a single object.
- Objects vs Classes
- Class vs Instance Variables
- Database vs Instance
- Subject vs Object
- Object vs Complement
- Instance Variable vs Local Variable
- Class Diagram vs Object Diagram
- Image Space vs Object Space
- Goal vs Objective
- Direct Objects vs Indirect Objects
- Subject vs Object Pronouns
- Source Code vs Object Code
- Objective vs Subjective
- Purpose vs Objective
- Instructional Objectives vs Learning Objectives
- Class vs Interface
- Does vs Is
- Object Oriented Programming vs Procedural Programming
- Aims vs Objectives