Class
In object-oriented programming, a class is an extensible program-code-template for creating objects, providing initial values for state (member variables) and implementations of behavior (member functions or methods).
- Snippet from Wikipedia: Class (computer programming)
In object-oriented programming, a class defines the structure, initial state and behavior of an object. An object is created through a process known as instantiation, the creation of an instance of a class. Classes may define members, such as methods and variables, that are local to either the class itself or instances of that class. If the programming language supports inheritance, a class is extensible by allowing the definition of one class to be based on and extended from another.
In some programming languages, classes can only be defined at compile time. In other languages, classes are first-class citizens, generally objects, that can be created at runtime. A class that creates instances which are themselves classes is called a metaclass.