instance

instance

Logic

a. an expression derived from another by instantiation

b. See substitution

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

instance

(programming)

An individual object of a certain class. While a class is just the type definition, an actual usage of a class is called "instance". Each instance of a class can have different values for its instance variables, i.e. its state.

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

instance

(1) A single copy of a running program. Multiple instances of a program mean that the program has been loaded into memory several times.

(2) In object technology, a member of a class; for example, "Lassie" is an instance of the class "dog." When an instance is created, the initial values of its instance variables are assigned.

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