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Class-based programming, or more commonly class-orientation, refers to the style of object-oriented programming in which inheritance is achieved by defining classes of objects, as opposed to the objects themselves (compare Prototype-based programming).

=Example languages=

Although Simula (programming language) introduced the class abstraction, the canonical example of a class-based language is Smalltalk programming language. Others include C plus plus, Java (programming language) and C Sharp.

provides an exhaustive list.

=See also=