Final answer:
A data attribute is a component of a class that references data, such as 'color' or 'make' in a Car class. It holds information specific to an object and is different from a method, which performs actions on the data.
Step-by-step explanation:
A data attribute is a component of a class that references data. In object-oriented programming, when we define a class, we create a blueprint for objects or instances of that class. The class consists of both data attributes, which are often referred to as fields or properties, and methods, which are functions that define the behavior of the objects created from the class.
Data attributes hold the data specific to the object created from the class. For instance, if we have a class called Car, a data attribute might be color or make, which stores information like 'red' or 'Toyota' for an individual car object. These attributes define what a car is in terms of its data.
It is important to differentiate between data attributes and methods - while data attributes store information about an object, methods are the functions that manipulate that data and perform actions using it. It's also worth noting that data attributes and methods are encapsulated within a class, which is an essential concept in object-oriented programming providing data security and integrity.