Field

A field is a variable that is a member of a class and may be part of an object.

Related concepts:  VariableMemberClassObject

Closest Wikipedia entry:  Field (computer science) — In data hierarchy, a field (data field) is a variable in a record. A record, also known as a data structure, allows logically related data to be identified by a single name. Identifying related data as a single group is central to the construction of understandable computer programs.

Misconceptions about Field

21 documented Misconceptions

AccessingInexistentPropertyError — JavaScript

Accessing a non existent property on an object produces an error

AddMemberAtRuntime — Java

Set of class members can change at runtime

ArrayHasLengthMethod — Java

To get the length of an array, one needs to call its length method

CannotChainAttributeToObjectInstantiation — Python

Method calls, and attribute accesses in general, cannot be chained to a constructor invocation.

CannotChainMemberAccesses — Java

Member accesses cannot be chained together

CannotChainMemberToConstructor — Java

Method calls or field accesses cannot be chained to a constructor invocation

ConstructorParameterIsField — Java

Formal constructor parameters are equivalent to instance variables

IdentifierAsStringInBracketNotation — JavaScript

An identifier used to access a property with the bracket notation is treated as a string

MethodAsField — Java

Each object contains its own special fields for all of its methods

MustInitializeFieldInConstructor — Java

Constructors must assign values to all fields

NoBracketNotationForObjects — JavaScript

Square brackets cannot be used to access properties of an object

NoFieldInheritance — Java

An object contains only the fields declared in its class

NoFieldlessObjects — Java

Objects without instance variables can't exist

NoMethodInheritance — Java

Subclasses inherit fields but not methods

PrivateAccessibleInSubclass — Java

Private members of a superclass are accessible from a subclass

PrivateFieldsImplyImmutability — Java

A class where all fields are private is immutable

PrivateMeansFinal — Java

A private field cannot be changed

RightToLeftChaining — Java

Chained accesses are invoked from right to left

RightToLeftChaining — Python

Chained accesses are invoked from right to left

StringLengthField — Java

One can know the length of a String object by accessing its length field

ThisAsField — Java

this is a special field in the object