In computer science, the object lifetime (or life cycle) of an object in object-oriented programming is the time between an object's creation (also known as instantiation or construction) till the object is no longer used, and is destructed or freed.
In object-oriented programming (OOP), the meaning of creating objects is far more subtle than simple allocating of spaces for variables. First, this is because, in the OOP paradigm, the lifetime of each object tends to vary more widely than in the case in conventional programming. There are many subtle questions, including whether the object be considered alive in the process of creation, and concerning the order of calling initializing code. In some sense, the creation can happen before the beginning of the program when objects are placed in a global scope.
Read more about Object Lifetime: Creating Objects, Destroying Objects
Famous quotes containing the words object and/or lifetime:
“Luxury, or a refinement on the pleasures and conveniences of life, had long been supposed the source of every corruption in government, and the immediate cause of faction, sedition, civil wars, and the total loss of liberty. It was, therefore, universally regarded as a vice, and was an object of declamation to all satyrists, and severe moralists.”
—David Hume (1711–1776)
“A lifetime [or, eternity] is a child playing, playing checkers; the kingdom belongs to a child.”
—Heraclitus (c. 535–475 B.C.)