Protocol (object-oriented programming)

Okay, imagine you're playing with Legos. You have a bunch of different pieces that you can put together to make something cool like a castle or a spaceship. But if you want your castle to work properly, you have to use the right pieces in the right way.

Now let's say you're a computer programmer. Instead of Legos, you're using something called objects. Objects are like little programs that do specific things. But just like with Legos, you have to use the right objects in the right way for your program to work properly.

That's where protocols come in. A protocol is like a set of instructions that tells you how to use certain objects. It's like a rulebook for the Legos or a recipe for baking a cake. If you follow the protocol correctly, your objects will work together and your program will run smoothly.

So let's say you're making a program that needs to do some math. You might use objects like "add" and "subtract." But if you just throw them together randomly, your program won't work. That's where a protocol called "Arithmetic" comes in. The Arithmetic protocol tells you exactly how to use the "add" and "subtract" objects so that they work together perfectly.

In short, a protocol is like a set of rules that helps you use objects correctly in your programming.