What is the term for a mechanism where a new class is created from an existing class?

The term that describes a mechanism for creating a new class from an existing class is inheritance. Inheritance allows a new class, often referred to as a subclass or derived class, to inherit the attributes and behaviors (methods) of an existing class, known as the superclass or base class. This mechanism promotes code reusability and establishes a relationship between the classes, allowing the subclass to extend or modify the inherited traits.

For example, if you have a superclass called "Animal," and you create a subclass called "Dog," the "Dog" class can inherit properties like "species" and methods like "speak" from the "Animal" class. This functionality enables the subclass to have a structure and characteristics of the superclass but also allows for the addition of unique features or methods pertinent to the subclass itself, such as "fetch" for the "Dog" class.

Understanding inheritance is crucial because it lays the foundation for creating hierarchical relationships in object-oriented programming, making it easier to manage and organize code.