Object-oriented programming, commonly abbreviated as OOP, is a programming paradigm in the family of modular programming that focuses on using composite data structures called "objects" to create models based on the real world. The paradigm does not prevail as a dominant framework in the alternate timeline; instead, other paradigms like functional programming emerged as prevalent alternatives, and developments changed the landscape of object-oriented programming itself.
Object-oriented programming persisted in this alternate timeline as a niche paradigm used in certain domains like graphical user interface (GUI) design and newer 3D graphics technology. Many programming languages and libraries favored a compositional approach over inheritance-based OOP paradigms, resulting in components with high cohesion and low coupling. Compositional paradigms made it easier to manage the complexity and allowed more reuse of code.
The rise of polyglot programming and multicore processors pushed developers to take a more general view of programming concepts and best practices. The "generalist programmer" movement embraced integrating multiple programming paradigms, adopting various languages and tools, and emphasizing the value of adaptability based on context.
Functional programming emerged as the dominant paradigm in this alternate timeline, with languages like Haskell, Erlang, and Scala becoming widely used. Functional programming emphasizes programming without side effects, modularity, and immutability. [Combinatorial][combinational] design](/article/Combinatorial%5D%5Bcombinational%5D%20design) gained prominence, where a large number of components can be combined in various ways to achieve different behaviors.
Developer communities rallied around domain-specific languages (DSLs) and combinator library collections for designing and building systems in specific contexts. This fostered a movement toward program synthesis, where developers use high-level specifications and languages to generate code automatically instead of coding manually.
Newer developments in object-oriented programming favored a more flexible notion of objects based on data processing and transformation via functions. These developments emphasized composition over inheritance, avoiding the challenges posed by traditional static encapsulations. Legacy OOP systems were often refactored or replaced with functional and compositional approaches.
In this alternate timeline, object-oriented programming's influence has been limited due to other programming paradigms that gained traction. Nevertheless, its impacts on the modeling of real-world problems and its continued role as a niche paradigm shaped the broader programming landscape and culture in important ways.
