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Reference.org
Differential inheritance
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<p>Differential inheritance is a common <a href="/facts/Inheritance_(object-oriented_programming)/a7R1xv8n">inheritance</a> model used by <a href="/facts/Prototype-based_programming/x9oNIYPG">prototype-based</a> programming languages such as <a href="/facts/JavaScript/XhhIIEsl">JavaScript</a>, <a href="/facts/Io_(programming_language)/06xtsq15">Io</a> and <a href="/facts/NewtonScript/3wCwNkhp">NewtonScript</a>. It operates on the principle that most objects are derived from other, more general objects, and only differ in a few small aspects; while usually maintaining a list of pointers internally to other objects which the object differs from. </p>