instantiation

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, typechecking and type inference), binding a logic variable

(type variable) to some value (type).

(1995-03-28)