Traits
Traits are a programming language feature that enables code reuse and composition by defining reusable sets of methods that can be mixed into classes. They provide a way to share behavior across unrelated classes without using inheritance, often described as 'interfaces with default implementations' or 'mixins'. This concept is commonly found in languages like Rust, Scala, and PHP to support flexible and modular design.
Developers should learn traits when working in languages that support them, such as Rust for system programming or Scala for functional-object-oriented hybrid development, to avoid the limitations of single inheritance and reduce code duplication. They are particularly useful for implementing cross-cutting concerns like logging, serialization, or validation across multiple classes, enabling cleaner and more maintainable codebases by promoting composition over inheritance.