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| 1 | +# Aggregation vs Composition in Java (Code-Focused) |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +In OOP, **Aggregation** and **Composition** both express "has-a" relationships, but they differ in **ownership**, **object lifecycle**, and **instantiation strategy**. |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +--- |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +## 🔗 Aggregation — External Object Reference |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +### ✅ Key Code Characteristic: |
| 10 | +> The referenced object is **passed from outside** and can exist independently. |
| 11 | +
|
| 12 | +```java |
| 13 | +class Engine { |
| 14 | + String type; |
| 15 | + Engine(String type) { |
| 16 | + this.type = type; |
| 17 | + } |
| 18 | +} |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | +class Car { |
| 21 | + Engine engine; // Aggregation - reference passed from outside |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | + Car(Engine engine) { |
| 24 | + this.engine = engine; |
| 25 | + } |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | + void showEngineType() { |
| 28 | + System.out.println("Engine: " + engine.type); |
| 29 | + } |
| 30 | +} |
| 31 | + |
| 32 | +public class AggregationDemo { |
| 33 | + public static void main(String[] args) { |
| 34 | + Engine e1 = new Engine("V8"); // Created externally |
| 35 | + Car car1 = new Car(e1); // Shared with car1 |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | + Engine e2 = new Engine("V6"); |
| 38 | + Car car2 = new Car(e2); // Shared with car2 |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | + car1.showEngineType(); // Engine: V8 |
| 41 | + car2.showEngineType(); // Engine: V6 |
| 42 | + } |
| 43 | +} |
| 44 | +``` |
| 45 | + |
| 46 | +**🧠 Key Point:** |
| 47 | +- `Car` does **not own** `Engine`. |
| 48 | +- The same `Engine` can be reused across multiple `Car` objects. |
| 49 | +- `Engine` can outlive or live independently of `Car`. |
| 50 | + |
| 51 | +--- |
| 52 | + |
| 53 | +## 🔒 Composition — Object Created Internally |
| 54 | + |
| 55 | +### ✅ Key Code Characteristic: |
| 56 | +> The referenced object is **created inside** the constructor. It **cannot exist without the parent.** |
| 57 | +
|
| 58 | +```java |
| 59 | +class Engine { |
| 60 | + String type; |
| 61 | + Engine(String type) { |
| 62 | + this.type = type; |
| 63 | + } |
| 64 | +} |
| 65 | + |
| 66 | +class Car { |
| 67 | + private Engine engine; // Composition - created inside |
| 68 | + |
| 69 | + Car(String engineType) { |
| 70 | + this.engine = new Engine(engineType); // tightly coupled |
| 71 | + } |
| 72 | + |
| 73 | + void showEngineType() { |
| 74 | + System.out.println("Engine: " + engine.type); |
| 75 | + } |
| 76 | +} |
| 77 | + |
| 78 | +public class CompositionDemo { |
| 79 | + public static void main(String[] args) { |
| 80 | + Car car = new Car("Electric"); // Engine is part of Car |
| 81 | + car.showEngineType(); // Engine: Electric |
| 82 | + } |
| 83 | +} |
| 84 | +``` |
| 85 | + |
| 86 | +**🧠 Key Point:** |
| 87 | +- `Car` **fully owns** `Engine`. |
| 88 | +- `Engine` cannot be reused or accessed independently. |
| 89 | +- Lifecycle of `Engine` is strictly bound to `Car`. |
| 90 | + |
| 91 | +--- |
| 92 | + |
| 93 | +## 🔍 Code-Level Differences Summary |
| 94 | + |
| 95 | +| Aspect | Aggregation | Composition | |
| 96 | +|------------------------|---------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| |
| 97 | +| Object creation | Object is passed from outside | Object is created internally | |
| 98 | +| Ownership | Parent has a reference | Parent owns the object | |
| 99 | +| Lifecycle dependency | Child can live without parent | Child dies with parent | |
| 100 | +| Reusability | Child can be reused by multiple parents | Child is bound to one parent only | |
| 101 | +| Code style | `this.child = child;` | `this.child = new Child();` or similar | |
| 102 | + |
| 103 | +--- |
| 104 | + |
| 105 | +## 💡 When to Use |
| 106 | + |
| 107 | +- **Use Aggregation** when you want to share or reuse the same instance. |
| 108 | +- **Use Composition** when you want a part to be a core, non-detachable component of the object. |
| 109 | + |
| 110 | +--- |
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