Difference Between OOP and POP Explained
Learn the difference between object-oriented programming (OOP) and procedure-oriented programming (POP) paradigms, their applications, and their benefits.
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Object-oriented programming (OOP) and procedure-oriented programming (POP) are programming paradigms or approaches. A programming paradigm defines the structure and organisation of a computer program or its program architecture.
When choosing the right programming architecture, consider multiple factors to ensure you pick the best option for the project. In this article, we will discuss both paradigms in detail and compare the benefits of each.
Overview of OOP and POP characteristics
OOP and POP have distinct foundational elements, data functionality, and design differences. Several of the key differences are highlighted below:
| Characteristics of OOP and POP | |
|---|---|
| OOP | POP |
| Objects as foundational elements The foundational elements of OOP are objects. Objects live within a class and help to define the information collected, stored, and used within the class. In OOP, programs are broken down into objects. | Functions as foundational elements The foundational elements of POP are functions. Functions are the product of the broken-down segments within program-oriented programming. The benefits of functions are that they can change the form of any piece of data at any time and place. |
| Use of classes A class is simply the umbrella over objects that tells the object what information to collect, store, and use. Classes are also used for “message passing” to communicate between classes in the program. | Use of global data Within POP, functions typically share global data. This can be useful when multiple functions need to access the same data. Because POP utilises the function of global data, data is free to move throughout the program from function to function. |
| Bottom-up design approach Four pillars of OOP design: Abstraction: Used in OOP to simplify the user experience by hiding internal details Encapsulation: Functions by bundling related attributes and methods together Inheritance: The concept that classes and objects can take on elements of other classes and objects that are already in existence by inheriting their properties Polymorphism: Concept of using one chain for a variety of applications | Top-down design approach POP follows a particular procedure or order via a structured flowchart where the program completes tasks in top-down sequential order. |
What is OOP?
OOP stands for object-oriented programming. OOP divides programs into objects.
Examples: C++, Java, Python
Advantages of OOP
OOP offers many benefits, from its maintainability and security to its reusability and overall ease of use.
Easy to maintain and upgrade
Due to OOP's rich libraries, programs can be quickly and easily maintained or upgraded. OOP's reusability also aids in faster development.
Easy to reuse
Encapsulation, a key concept of OOP, allows you to declare hundreds of objects quickly by defining the class only once. This makes the code easy to understand and use in other applications.
Reliability
OOP can increase reliability by using data abstraction. This creates greater reliability because unnecessary parts of the code are hidden from the user. This allows users to focus only on the needed functions rather than noncritical details.
Flexibility
With the help of data binding, OOP is highly flexible because code is defined only at run time.
Reduce redundancy
OOP reduces redundancy with the use of inheritance. Using the inheritance function, codes are easily recreated by inheriting the properties of already created codes.
Strong security
In addition to allowing reusability, encapsulation keeps data secure by hiding data from unauthorised users using access modifiers.
Disadvantages of OOP
OOP is a powerful tool, but it has drawbacks. The program may have size, speed, and/or effort issues depending on the application it's being used for.
Size
Object-oriented programs are significantly larger than other programs, which can cause problems if speed and memory are a concern.
Speed
Due to the size and amount of resources object-oriented programs use, they can bog down the speed at which the programs run.
Effort
OOP is noticeably easier to maintain and upgrade, but creating an object-oriented program is another story. Before you can begin writing code for an object-oriented program, you must plan out every detail of how you want it to function. The sheer size of these programs creates another layer of time, effort, and difficulty.
Applications of OOP
Due to its power, ease of use, and flexibility, the applications of OOP are numerous. Below are a handful of examples for which you could use OOP.
Real-time systems
Object-oriented databases
Simulation and modelling
Hypertext, hypermedia, and expertext
CIM/CAD/CAD System
Neural networks and parallel programming
AI and expert systems
Decision support and office automation systems
What is POP?
POP stands for procedure-oriented programming, which uses functions. Similarly to how OOP breaks into objects, you can break POP down according to functions [1].
Examples: C, FORTRAN, Pascal
Advantages of POP
POP has many advantages, including easy learning, top-down structure, and speedy coding. The thread tying these advantages together is the ability to jump into coding without developing an entire program code.
Easy to learn
Because you don’t need to write an entire program all at once, you can simply go online and find small pieces of code they wish to use and copy and paste them into place. This makes POP a popular starting point for many new programmers.
Top-down structure
The top-down structure of POP allows you to work on one piece of code at a time rather than planning an entire program's worth of code before starting.
Coding
As previously mentioned, the ability to begin coding immediately without spending hours in development is an advantage you may appreciate. This allows you to write small bits of code when inspiration strikes rather than having to plan everything out ahead of time.
Disadvantages of POP
POP is a great choice for many applications; however, depending on your intended use, you may experience several drawbacks to this programming style. These include data vulnerability, reusability, maintenance, and its inability to relate to real-world objects.
Data vulnerability
Because data can freely move from and function with global data, there is virtually no data security.
Unrelatable to real-world objects
Unlike OOP, POP does not easily relate to real-world objects. This is due to its top-down structure.
Lack of reusability
You can’t typically reuse code created within POP. This requires you to rewrite new code every time you change the program's application, which takes more time and can require greater financial resources.
Difficult to maintain
Due to the nature of its functions, POP can be challenging to maintain. This is particularly true for complex applications. The challenge comes when the data structure needs changing because any functions that use that data will also need changing.
Applications of POP
While POP may not be as powerful as OOP, you can use it for many applications:
New developers learning how to code
Development of simple programs that don’t require strong data security
Working with a program in the virtual world
OOP vs. POP
| Category | OOP | POP |
|---|---|---|
| Programming approach | Divides programs into segments called objects | Divides programs into segments called functions |
| Program organisation | Uses the bottom-up approach to organise information | Uses the top-down approach to organise information |
| Access modifiers | Uses access modifiers to protect data | Does not use access modifiers |
| New data | Adding new data g is simple | Adding new data is difficult |
| Data security | Can secure data by using encapsulation to hide it | Does not utilise data hiding and has no additional way to secure data |
| Overloading | It’s possible to overload | Overloading is not possible |
| Inheritance | Utilises inheritance to streamline code | Does not utilise the concept of inheritance |
| Real-world objects | Designing programs based on real-world objects is simple | Can not utilise real-world objects as inspiration |
| Data importance | Data is more important than function | Function is more important than data |
| Code reusability | Code can be easily reused | Does not allow code reusability from one application to the next |
| Abstraction | Uses abstraction for data | Uses abstraction for procedures |
| Program size | Has the capacity to build programs of any size | Generally limited to making small to medium sized programs |
Next steps
Whether you should use OOP or POP depends entirely on the application you intend to use. Generally speaking, OOP will give you more options; however, you must plan out your entire program code before you begin. On the other hand, POP is excellent if you’re new to program development or want to develop your program code as you go.
If you’re new to programming, consider taking an online course through Coursera to increase your knowledge and sharpen your skills. Some courses include Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming and Learn to Program: The Fundamentals.
Article sources
Careers360. “OOP vs. POP: Difference Between OOP and POP, https://www.careers360.com/articles/difference-between-oop-and-pop.” Accessed July 22, 2024.
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