Conclusion

This chapter covers the design process for complete systems. It is important to note that object-oriented and structured code are not mutually exclusive. In fact, you can’t create objects without using structured code. Thus, while building object-oriented systems, you are also using structured techniques in the design.

Object wrappers are used to encapsulate many types of functionality, which can range from traditional structured (legacy) and object-oriented (classes) code to nonportable (native) code. The primary purpose of object wrappers is to provide consistent interfaces for the programmers who are using the code.

In the next several chapters, we explore in more detail the relationships between classes. Chapter 7, “Mastering Inheritance and Composition,” covers the concepts of inheritance and composition and how they relate to each other.