<programming> Producing a more defined version of some object
by replacing variables with values (or other variables).
1. In object-oriented programming, producing a particular
object from its class template. This involves allocation
of a structure with the types specified by the template, and
initialisation of instance variables with either default
values or those provided by the class's constructor
function.
2. In unification, (as used in logic programming, type
checking and type inference), binding a logic variable
(type variable) to some value (type).
(1995-03-28)
Nearby terms:
instance « instance variable « instantiate « instantiation » Institute for Global Communications » Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. » Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et Automatique
