In database design and object oriented program architecture, has-a is a relationship where one object (often called the composited object) "belongs" to (is a part or member of) another object (called the composite type), and behaves according to the rules of ownership. Multiple has-a relationships will combine to form a possessive hierarchy. This is contrasted with an Is-a relationship which constitutes a different kind of hierarchy (subtyping). The decision whether the most logical relationship for an object and its subordinate is not always clearly has-a or is-a. Confusion over such decisions have necessitated the creation of these metalinguistic terms. A good example of the has-a relationship is containers in the C++ STL.

See also

• Is-a
• Object composition