Understanding the Difference Between Abstract Class and Interface in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
Abstract Class vs. Interface: In the realm of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), the key difference between an abstract class and an interface lies in their characteristics and purpose.
Abstract Class: An abstract class is a class that cannot be instantiated on its own and may contain a mix of concrete methods and abstract methods. Abstract classes can provide default implementations for methods that subclasses can override.
Interface: On the other hand, an interface is a blueprint that defines a set of methods a class must implement. Interfaces cannot have method implementations; they only contain method signatures. A class can implement multiple interfaces but can only inherit from one abstract class.
It is important to note that while classes can extend only one abstract class, they can implement multiple interfaces. This makes interfaces a powerful tool for achieving multiple inheritance in languages that do not support it.
By understanding the distinction between abstract classes and interfaces in OOP, developers can design their code more effectively by utilizing the appropriate feature based on the specific requirements of their project.
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