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Abstraction in java → Abstract class

Abstraction in java

Abstract class

Abstract Class Declaration

An abstract class in Java is declared using the abstract keyword. Here’s the syntax for declaring an abstract class:
Abstract class basic syntax abstract class ClassName { // fields and methods }

Abstract Class Initialization

An abstract class cannot be instantiated, which means you cannot create objects of an abstract class. However, you can create a reference of the abstract class that points to the object of the subclass. Here’s an example:

Abstract Class basic example

Abstract Class basic example in java - Declaration and Initialization abstract class Animal { abstract void sound(); } class Dog extends Animal { void sound() { System.out.println("The dog says: woof woof"); } } class Main { public static void main(String[] args) { Animal myDog = new Dog(); // Create a Dog object myDog.sound(); } }

Output

The dog says: woof woof
In this example, Animal is an abstract class and Dog is a subclass of Animal. We create a reference myDog of type Animal (the abstract class) that points to the object of Dog (the subclass). Abstract Class : An abstract class can have both abstract methods (methods without a body) and non-abstract methods (methods with a body). It can also have fields (variables). The abstract methods in the abstract class have to be defined by its subclass.

Important points about Abstract Classes

✦ Abstract classes can have constructors and static methods. ✦ They can also have final methods which will force the subclass not to change the body of the method. ✦ If a class has at least one abstract method, then the class must be declared abstract. If a class is declared abstract, it does not need to have any abstract methods. ✦ Abstract classes are a crucial part of the Java Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts, allowing for abstraction and encapsulation. Remember, the main purpose of an abstract class is to define a common interface for its subclasses. The abstract class defines default behavior and provides default data.

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