This chapter describes the elements of ActionScript™ that support object-oriented programming (OOP). The chapter does not describe general OOP principles such as object design, abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism. The chapter focuses on how to apply these principles using ActionScript 3.0.

Because of ActionScript's roots as a scripting language, ActionScript 3.0 OOP support is optional. This affords programmers flexibility in choosing the best approach for projects of varying scope and complexity. For small tasks, you may find that using ActionScript with a procedural programming paradigm is all you need. For larger projects, applying OOP principles can make your code easier to understand, maintain, and extend.

Contents

• Basics of object-oriented programming
• Classes
• Interfaces
• Inheritance
• Advanced topics
• Example: GeometricShapes