What is the definition of inheritance in OOP?

Inheritance in object-oriented programming (OOP) is fundamentally defined as a mechanism that allows a new class to inherit properties and behaviors (methods) from an existing class. This promotes code reusability, enabling developers to create a hierarchical relationship between classes. By doing so, the new class, often referred to as the subclass or derived class, can access and utilize the attributes and functions of the base class, fostering a structured approach to building and managing software systems.

Inheritance not only encourages the reuse of existing code but also supports the concept of polymorphism, where a subclass can override or extend functionalities defined in the parent class. This allows for more flexible and modular coding practices, as behaviors can be tailored and specialized without redundant code duplication.

In contrast, the other choices describe different core concepts in OOP. One refers to object instantiation, which is about creating instances of classes, while another focuses on data grouping, addressing encapsulation rather than inheritance. The last option highlights abstraction, which deals with hiding unnecessary details from the user, rather than sharing properties and behaviors between classes. This clarifies why the selected definition aligns precisely with the fundamental concept of inheritance in OOP.