Association is a relation between two separate classes which establishes through their Objects. Association can be one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, many-to-many. In Object-Oriented programming, an Object communicates to another object to use functionality and services provided by that object. Composition and Aggregation are the two forms of association.
Example:
Java
// Java Program to illustrate the// Concept of Association// Importing required classesimport java.io.*;import java.util.*;// Class 1// Bank classclass Bank { // Attributes of bank private String name; private Set<Employee> employees; // Constructor of this class Bank(String name) { // this keyword refers to current instance itself this.name = name; } // Method of Bank class public String getBankName() { // Returning name of bank return this.name; } public void setEmployees(Set<Employee> employees) { this.employees = employees; } public Set<Employee> getEmployees(Set<Employee> employees) { return this.employees; }}// Class 2// Employee classclass Employee { // Attributes of employee private String name; // Employee name Employee(String name) { // This keyword refers to current instance itself this.name = name; } // Method of Employee class public String getEmployeeName() { // returning the name of employee return this.name; }}// Class 3// Association between both the// classes in main methodclass GFG { // Main driver method public static void main(String[] args) { // Creating objects of bank and Employee class Bank bank = new Bank("ICICI"); Employee emp = new Employee("Ridhi"); Set<Employee> employees = new HashSet<>(); employees.add(emp); bank.setEmployees(employees); System.out.println(emp.getEmployeeName() + " belongs to bank " + bank.getBankName()); }} |
Ridhi belongs to bank ICICI
Output Explanation: In the above example, two separate classes Bank and Employee are associated through their Objects. Bank can have many employees, So it is a one-to-many relationship.
Aggregation
It is a special form of Association where:
- It represents Has-A’s relationship.
- It is a unidirectional association i.e. a one-way relationship. For example, a department can have students but vice versa is not possible and thus unidirectional in nature.
- In Aggregation, both entries can survive individually which means ending one entity will not affect the other entity.
Aggregation
Example
Java
// Java program to illustrate Concept of Aggregation// Importing required classesimport java.io.*;import java.util.*;// Class 1// Student classclass Student { // Attributes of student String name; int id; String dept; // Constructor of student class Student(String name, int id, String dept) { // This keyword refers to current instance itself this.name = name; this.id = id; this.dept = dept; }}// Class 2// Department class contains list of student objects// It is associated with student class through its Objectsclass Department { // Attributes of Department class String name; private List<Student> students; Department(String name, List<Student> students) { // this keyword refers to current instance itself this.name = name; this.students = students; } // Method of Department class public List<Student> getStudents() { // Returning list of user defined type // Student type return students; }}// Class 3// Institute class contains list of Department// Objects. It is associated with Department// class through its Objectsclass Institute { // Attributes of Institute String instituteName; private List<Department> departments; // Constructor of institute class Institute(String instituteName,List<Department> departments) { // This keyword refers to current instance itself this.instituteName = instituteName; this.departments = departments; } // Method of Institute class // Counting total students of all departments // in a given institute public int getTotalStudentsInInstitute() { int noOfStudents = 0; List<Student> students; for (Department dept : departments) { students = dept.getStudents(); for (Student s : students) { noOfStudents++; } } return noOfStudents; }}// Class 4// main classclass GFG { // main driver method public static void main(String[] args) { // Creating object of Student class inside main() Student s1 = new Student("Mia", 1, "CSE"); Student s2 = new Student("Priya", 2, "CSE"); Student s3 = new Student("John", 1, "EE"); Student s4 = new Student("Rahul", 2, "EE"); // Creating a List of CSE Students List<Student> cse_students = new ArrayList<Student>(); // Adding CSE students cse_students.add(s1); cse_students.add(s2); // Creating a List of EE Students List<Student> ee_students = new ArrayList<Student>(); // Adding EE students ee_students.add(s3); ee_students.add(s4); // Creating objects of EE and CSE class inside // main() Department CSE = new Department("CSE", cse_students); Department EE = new Department("EE", ee_students); List<Department> departments = new ArrayList<Department>(); departments.add(CSE); departments.add(EE); // Lastly creating an instance of Institute Institute institute = new Institute("BITS", departments); // Display message for better readability System.out.print("Total students in institute: "); // Calling method to get total number of students // in institute and printing on console System.out.print(institute.getTotalStudentsInInstitute()); }} |
Total students in institute: 4
Output Explanation: In this example, there is an Institute which has no. of departments like CSE, EE. Every department has no. of students. So, we make an Institute class that has a reference to Object or no. of Objects (i.e. List of Objects) of the Department class. That means Institute class is associated with Department class through its Object(s). And Department class has also a reference to Object or Objects (i.e. List of Objects) of the Student class means it is associated with the Student class through its Object(s).
It represents a Has-A relationship. In the above example: Student Has-A name. Student Has-A ID. Student Has-A Dept. Department Has-A Students as depicted from the below media.
When do we use Aggregation ??
Code reuse is best achieved by aggregation.
Concept 3: Composition
Composition
Composition is a restricted form of Aggregation in which two entities are highly dependent on each other.
- It represents part-of relationship.
- In composition, both entities are dependent on each other.
- When there is a composition between two entities, the composed object cannot exist without the other entity.
Example Library
Java
// Java program to illustrate// the concept of Composition// Importing required classesimport java.io.*;import java.util.*;// Class 1// Bookclass Book { // Attributes of book public String title; public String author; // Constructor of Book class Book(String title, String author) { // This keyword refers to current instance itself this.title = title; this.author = author; }}// Class 2class Library { // Reference to refer to list of books private final List<Book> books; // Library class contains list of books Library(List<Book> books) { // Referring to same book as // this keyword refers to same instance itself this.books = books; } // Method // To get total number of books in library public List<Book> getTotalBooksInLibrary() { return books; }}// Class 3// Main classclass GFG { // Main driver method public static void main(String[] args) { // Creating objects of Book class inside main() // method Custom inputs Book b1 = new Book("EffectiveJ Java", "Joshua Bloch"); Book b2 = new Book("Thinking in Java", "Bruce Eckel"); Book b3 = new Book("Java: The Complete Reference", "Herbert Schildt"); // Creating the list which contains number of books List<Book> books = new ArrayList<Book>(); // Adding books // using add() method books.add(b1); books.add(b2); books.add(b3); Library library = new Library(books); // Calling method to get total books in library // and storing it in list of user0defined type - // Books List<Book> bks = library.getTotalBooksInLibrary(); // Iterating over books using for each loop for (Book bk : bks) { // Printing the title and author name of book on // console System.out.println("Title : " + bk.title + " and " + " Author : " + bk.author); } }} |
Title : EffectiveJ Java and Author : Joshua Bloch Title : Thinking in Java and Author : Bruce Eckel Title : Java: The Complete Reference and Author : Herbert Schildt
Output explanation: In the above example, a library can have no. of books on the same or different subjects. So, If Library gets destroyed then All books within that particular library will be destroyed. i.e. books can not exist without libraries. That’s why it is composition. Book is Part-of Library.
Aggregation vs Composition
1. Dependency: Aggregation implies a relationship where the child can exist independently of the parent. For example, Bank and Employee, delete the Bank and the Employee still exist. whereas Composition implies a relationship where the child cannot exist independent of the parent. Example: Human and heart, heart don’t exist separate to a Human
2. Type of Relationship: Aggregation relation is “has-a” and composition is “part-of” relation.
3. Type of association: Composition is a strong Association whereas Aggregation is a weak Association.
Example:
Java
// Java Program to Illustrate Difference between// Aggregation and Composition// Importing I/O classesimport java.io.*;// Class 1// Engine class which will// be used by car. so 'Car'// class will have a field// of Engine type.class Engine { // Method to starting an engine public void work() { // Print statement whenever this method is called System.out.println( "Engine of car has been started "); }}// Class 2// Engine classfinal class Car { // For a car to move, // it needs to have an engine. // Composition private final Engine engine; // Note: Uncommented part refers to Aggregation // private Engine engine; // Constructor of this class Car(Engine engine) { // This keywords refers to same instance this.engine = engine; } // Method // Car start moving by starting engine public void move() { // if(engine != null) { // Calling method for working of engine engine.work(); // Print statement System.out.println("Car is moving "); } }}// Class 3// Main classclass GFG { // Main driver method public static void main(String[] args) { // Making an engine by creating // an instance of Engine class. Engine engine = new Engine(); // Making a car with engine so we are // passing a engine instance as an argument // while creating instance of Car Car car = new Car(engine); // Making car to move by calling // move() method inside main() car.move(); }} |
Engine of car has been started Car is moving
In case of aggregation, the Car also performs its functions through an Engine. but the Engine is not always an internal part of the Car. An engine can be swapped out or even can be removed from the car. That’s why we make The Engine type field non-final.
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