Metaobject

<p>In <a href="/facts/Computer_science/lN3pEyPz">computer science</a>, a metaobject is an <a href="/facts/Object_(computer_science)/eX99dtAw">object</a> that manipulates, creates, describes, or implements objects (including itself). The object that the metaobject pertains to is called the base object. Some information that a metaobject might define includes the base object's <a href="/facts/Type_system/Tz0bAMS9">type</a>, <a href="/facts/Interface_(object-oriented_programming)/jDMpXoLN">interface</a>, <a href="/facts/Class_(computer_science)/zvzkSAtE">class</a>, <a href="/facts/Method_(computer_science)/8kAXxVYs">methods</a>, <a href="/facts/Attribute_(computing)/EpQSmn02">attributes</a>, <a href="/facts/Parse_tree/FeBEtXcz">parse tree</a>, etc. Metaobjects are examples of the computer science concept of <a href="/facts/Reflection_(computer_programming)/Nj8stFfp">reflection</a>, where a system has access (usually at run time) to its own internal structure. Reflection enables a system to essentially rewrite itself on the fly, to alter its own implementation as it executes.
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Metaobject open-in-new

Metaobject