What are some examples of composition in programming?

What are some examples of composition in programming?

Composition in programming refers to combining simple objects or functions to create more complex ones. For example, in object-oriented programming, you can create a class that uses instances of other classes as attributes.

Can you give me a specific example in Java?

Sure! In Java, you might have a Car class that uses an Engine class. Instead of inheriting from Engine, Car would have an Engine object as a member, allowing for more flexible design.

What are the benefits of using composition over inheritance?

Composition offers greater flexibility and reusability. It allows you to change behavior at runtime and avoids the complexities of deep inheritance hierarchies.

Are there any downsides to using composition?

One downside is that it can lead to more boilerplate code, as you need to delegate calls to the composed objects. However, this is often outweighed by the benefits.