Java Inheritance Study Questions

Study Notes

Inheritance in Java

Inheritance allows the creation of a new class that utilizes the properties and behaviors of an existing class (parent class).
A child class inherits features from a parent class, enabling code reusability and reduced redundancy.

Purpose of Inheritance

Facilitates code reuse and reduces duplication.
Enables runtime polymorphism through method overriding and enhances features of a class.

Is-A Relationship

The "Is-A" relationship signifies inheritance, demonstrated by the "extends" keyword.
This relationship supports code reusability in Java.

Superclass and Subclass

Superclass: The class that provides features (also known as the base or parent class).
Subclass: A class that inherits from another class, also termed as derived, child, or extended class.

Implementing Inheritance

Achieved using the keywords "extends" (for class-to-class relationships) and "implements" (for class-to-interface relationships).

Subclass Syntax

Use the "extends" keyword to declare a subclass.

Example syntax:

class subclassName extends superclassName {
    // Variables of subclass
    // Methods of subclass
}

Object Class

The Object class is the universal superclass of all classes in Java.

Inheritance Features

Features from a superclass are inherited by a subclass but cannot be overridden.
Constructors and instance initialization blocks from the superclass are not inherited, though executed when a subclass object is created.

Constraints in Inheritance

A class cannot inherit from itself.
Superclass cannot be assigned to subclass directly.
A class can only extend one class (single inheritance); multiple inheritance is not permitted in Java.
Static methods are inherited as static members, while non-static methods are inherited as non-static members.
Final classes cannot be inherited.

Description

Explore key concepts of inheritance in Java through a set of flashcard questions. This quiz covers the definition of inheritance and its purpose in Java programming, emphasizing code reusability and class relationship. Test your understanding and get ready to enhance your Java skills!