methods-package {methods} | R Documentation

## Formal Methods and Classes

### Description

Formally defined methods and classes for R objects, plus other programming tools, as described in the references.

### Details

This package provides the “S4” or “S version 4” approach to methods and classes in a functional language.

For basic use of the techniques, start with Introduction and follow the links there to the key functions for programming, notably `setClass` and `setMethod`.

Some specific topics:

Classes:

  Creating one, see `setClass`; examining definitions, see `getClassDef` and classRepresentation; inheritance and coercing, see `is` and `as`

Generic functions:

  Basic programming, see `setGeneric`; the class of objects, see genericFunction; other functions to examine or manipulate them, see GenericFunctions.

S3:

  Using classes, see `setOldClass`; methods, see Methods_for_S3.

Reference classes:

  See ReferenceClasses.

Class unions; virtual classes

  See `setClassUnion`.

These pages will have additional links to related topics.

For a complete list of functions and classes, use `library(help="methods")`.

### Author(s)

R Core Team

Maintainer: R Core Team R-core@r-project.org

### References

Chambers, John M. (2016) Extending R, Chapman & Hall. (Chapters 9 and 10.)

Chambers, John M. (2008) Software for Data Analysis: Programming with R Springer. (Chapter 10 has some additional details.)

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