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Java Inheritance

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Inheritance could be described as the procedure where one class obtains the properties (methods and fields) of one more. With the employ of inheritance, the knowledge is made convenient in a hierarchical order.

The class, which inherits the properties of others, is recognized as a subclass (derived class, child class) and the group whose properties are inherited is identified as superclass (base class, parent class).

extends Keyword

extends is the keyword used to inherit the properties of a class. Following is the syntax of extends keyword.

Syntax

class Super {
   .....
   .....
}
class Sub extends Super {
   .....
   .....
}

Sample Code

Following is an example demonstrating Java inheritance. In this example, you can observe two classes namely Calculation and My_Calculation.

Using extends keyword, the My_Calculation inherits the methods addition() and Subtraction() of Calculation class.

Copy and paste the following program in a file with name My_Calculation.java

Example

class Calculation {
   int z;
	
   public void addition(int x, int y) {
      z = x + y;
      System.out.println("The sum of the given numbers:"+z);
   }
	
   public void Subtraction(int x, int y) {
      z = x - y;
      System.out.println("The difference between the given numbers:"+z);
   }
}

public class My_Calculation extends Calculation {
   public void multiplication(int x, int y) {
      z = x * y;
      System.out.println("The product of the given numbers:"+z);
   }
	
   public static void main(String args[]) {
      int a = 20, b = 10;
      My_Calculation demo = new My_Calculation();
      demo.addition(a, b);
      demo.Subtraction(a, b);
      demo.multiplication(a, b);
   }
}

Compile and execute the above code as shown below.

javac My_Calculation.java
java My_Calculation

After executing the program, it will produce the following result:

Output

The sum of the given numbers:30
The difference between the given numbers:10
The product of the given numbers:200

In the known program, when an entity to My_Calculation class is generated, a copy of the contents of the super class is completed in it. That is why; utilizing the object of the subclass, you could entrée the members of a superclass.

The Superclass position changeable could grasp the subclass object, however utilizing that inconsistent you can contact only the members of the superclass, so to admission the members of together classes it is optional to always build reference patchy to the subclass.

If you believe the above plan, you can instantiate the course group as known below. Except utilizing the superclass position changeable ( cal in this case) you never call the system multiplication(), which goes to the subclass My_Calculation.

Calculation demo = new My_Calculation();
demo.addition(a, b);
demo.Subtraction(a, b);

Note − A subclass become heir to entire the members from its superclass. Constructors are not affiliates, so they are not succeed to by subclasses, however the constructor of the superclass can be appeal to the subclass.

The super keyword

The super keyword is alike to this keyword. Subsequent are the scenarios where the wonderful keyword is used.

It is utilized to discriminate the members of superclass from the members of subclass, if they have equal names.
It is used to invoke the superclass constructor from subclass.

Differentiating the Members

If a class be left the properties of a new class. In addition, if the affiliates of the super class have the names similar as the sub class, to discriminate these changeable we use super keyword as revealed below.

super.variable
super.method();

Sample Code

This section offers you a agenda that reveals the practice of the super keyword.

In the specified program, you comprise two classes specifically Sub_class and Super_class, both have a technique named display() with dissimilar implementations, and a changeable named num with diverse values. We are appealing to display() method of together classes and printing the worth of the changeable num of both classes. Here you can watch that we contain used super keyword to distinguish the members of superclass from subclass.

Copy and paste the program in a file with name Sub_class.java.

Example

class Super_class {
   int num = 20;

   // display method of superclass
   public void display() {
      System.out.println("This is the display method of superclass");
   }
}

public class Sub_class extends Super_class {
   int num = 10;

   // display method of sub class
   public void display() {
      System.out.println("This is the display method of subclass");
   }

   public void my_method() {
      // Instantiating subclass
      Sub_class sub = new Sub_class();

      // Invoking the display() method of sub class
      sub.display();

      // Invoking the display() method of superclass
      super.display();

      // printing the value of variable num of subclass
      System.out.println("value of the variable named num in sub class:"+ sub.num);

      // printing the value of variable num of superclass
      System.out.println("value of the variable named num in super class:"+ super.num);
   }

   public static void main(String args[]) {
      Sub_class obj = new Sub_class();
      obj.my_method();
   }
}

Compile and execute the above code using the following syntax.

javac Super_Demo
java Super

On executing the program, you will get the following result:

Output

This is the display method of subclass
This is the display method of superclass
value of the variable named num in sub class:10
value of the variable named num in super class:20

Invoking Superclass Constructor

If a class is herring the properties of one more class, the subclass mechanically obtains the defaulting constructor of the superclass. However, if you desire to call a parameterized constructor of the superclass, you require using the super keyword as exposed below.

super(values);

Sample Code

The program known in this section reveals how to employ the super keyword to appeal to the parametrized constructor of the super class. This program holds a superclass and a subclass, where the superclass have a parameterized constructor which recognizes a integer price, and we utilized the super keyword to call upon the parameterized constructor of the superclass.

Example

class Superclass {
   int age;

   Superclass(int age) {
      this.age = age; 		 
   }

   public void getAge() {
      System.out.println("The value of the variable named age in super class is: " +age);
   }
}

public class Subclass extends Superclass {
   Subclass(int age) {
      super(age);
   }

   public static void main(String args[]) {
      Subclass s = new Subclass(24);
      s.getAge();
   }
}

Compile and execute the above code using the following syntax.

javac Subclass
java Subclass

On executing the program, you will get the following result:

Output

The value of the variable named age in super class is: 24

IS-A Relationship

IS-A is a way of saying: This object is a type of that object. Let us see how the extends keyword is used to achieve inheritance.

public class Animal {
}

public class Mammal extends Animal {
}

public class Reptile extends Animal {
}

public class Dog extends Mammal {
}

Now, based on the above example, in Object-Oriented terms, the following are true −

Animal is the superclass of Mammal class.
Animal is the superclass of Reptile class.
Mammal and Reptile are subclasses of Animal class.
Dog is the subclass of both Mammal and Animal classes.

Now, if we consider the IS-A relationship, we can say −

Mammal IS-A Animal
Reptile IS-A Animal
Dog IS-A Mammal
Hence: Dog IS-A Animal as well

With the utilize of the expands keyword, the subclasses would be intelligent to inherit every the property of the superclass excluding for the confidential properties of the superclass.

We can assure that Mammal is actually an Animal with the use of the instance operator.

Example

class Animal {
}

class Mammal extends Animal {
}

class Reptile extends Animal {
}

public class Dog extends Mammal {

   public static void main(String args[]) {
      Animal a = new Animal();
      Mammal m = new Mammal();
      Dog d = new Dog();

      System.out.println(m instanceof Animal);
      System.out.println(d instanceof Mammal);
      System.out.println(d instanceof Animal);
   }
}

This will produce the following result:

Output

true
true
true

while we contain a high-quality appreciating of the expands keyword, let us appear into how the realizes keyword is adopted to get the IS-A relationship.

Usually, the applies keyword is adopted with classes to come into the properties of an line. Interfaces can never be expanded by a class.

Example

public interface Animal {
}

public class Mammal implements Animal {
}

public class Dog extends Mammal {
}

The instanceof Keyword

Let us use the instanceof operator to check determine whether Mammal is actually an Animal, and dog is actually an Animal.

Example

interface Animal{}
class Mammal implements Animal{}

public class Dog extends Mammal {

   public static void main(String args[]) {
      Mammal m = new Mammal();
      Dog d = new Dog();

      System.out.println(m instanceof Animal);
      System.out.println(d instanceof Mammal);
      System.out.println(d instanceof Animal);
   }
}

This will produce the following result:

Output

true
true
true

HAS-A relationship

These associations are mostly anchored in the practice. This settles on whether a positive class HAS-A convinced thing. This relationship aids to lessen duplication of code as well as bugs.

Lets look into an example:

Example

public class Vehicle{}
public class Speed{}

public class Van extends Vehicle {
   private Speed sp;
}

This illustrates that class Van HAS-A Speed. By having a divide class for Speed, we never have to put the whole code that fits into speed within the Van class, which makes it probable to recycle the Speed class in numerous applications.

In Object-Oriented feature, the consumers never require to bother concerning which entity is doing the genuine work. To attain this, the Van class hides the completion features from the consumers of the Van class. So, essentially what occurs is the users would inquire the Van class to do a convinced exploit and the Van class resolve either do the job by itself or request one more class to achieve the action.

Types of Inheritance

There are various types of inheritance as demonstrated below.

A extremely significant fact to memorize is that Java never support manifold inheritance. This signifies that a class never extends more than one class. Consequently following is illegal −

public class extends Animal, Mammal{}

However, a class can realize one or more borders, which has lend a hand Java dispose of the unfeasibility of multiple legacy.

Here at Intellinuts, we have created a complete Java tutorial for Beginners to get started in Java.

Java Inner Classes Java Overriding

JAVA Tutorial

Java Object Oriented

Advanced Java Tutorial

Java Other Topics

Java Inheritance

Contents

extends Keyword

Syntax

Sample Code

Example

Output

Differentiating the Members

Sample Code

Example

Output

Invoking Superclass Constructor

Sample Code

Example

Output

IS-A Relationship

Example

Output

Example

The instanceof Keyword

Example

Output

HAS-A relationship

Example

Types of Inheritance