Why multiple inheritance is not supported in java?
To reduce the complexity and simplify the language, multiple inheritance is not supported in java.
Consider a scenario where A, B, and C are three classes. The C class inherits A and B classes. If A and B classes have the same method and you call it from child class object, there will be ambiguity to call the method of A or B class.
Since compile-time errors are better than runtime errors, Java renders compile-time error if you inherit 2 classes. So whether you have same method or different, there will be compile time error.
1. class A{ 2. void msg(){System.out.println("Hello");} 3. } 4. class B{ 5. void msg(){System.out.println("Welcome");} 6. } 7. class C extends A,B{//suppose if it were 8. 9. public static void main(String args[]){ 10. C obj=new C(); 11. obj.msg();//Now which msg() method would be invoked? 12. } 13. }
Output:
Compile Time Error
Multiple Inheritance (Through Interfaces): In Multiple inheritances, one class can have more than one superclass and inherit features from all parent classes. Please note that Java does not support multiple inheritances with classes. In java, we can achieve multiple inheritances only through Interfaces.
// Java program to illustrate the concept of Multiple inheritance
import java.io.*; import java.lang.*;
import java.util.*;
interface one {
public void print_val();
interface two {
public void print_for();
interface three extends one, two {
public void print_val();
class child implements three {
public void print_val()
System.out.println("Sara");
public void print_for() { System.out.println("for"); }
// Drived class
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args)
{ child c = new child();
c.print_val();
c.print_for();
c.print_val();
Output Sara for Sara
Interfaces in Java An interface in Java is a blueprint of a class. It has static constants and abstract methods.
The interface in Java is a mechanism to achieve abstraction. There can be only abstract methods in the Java interface, not method body. It is used to achieve abstraction and multiple inheritance in Java.
Java Interface also represents the IS-A relationship.
Why use Java interface?
There are mainly two reasons to use interface. They are given below.
o It is used to achieve abstraction.
o By interface, we can support the functionality of multiple inheritance.
How to declare an interface?
An interface is declared by using the interface keyword. It provides total abstraction; means all the methods in an interface are declared with the empty body, and all the fields are public, static and final by default. A class that implements an interface must implement all the methods declared in the interface.
As shown in the figure given below, a class extends another class, an interface extends another interface, but a class implements an interface.
Java Interface Example
In this example, the Printable interface has only one method, and its implementation is provided in the A6 class.
1. interface printable{ 2. void print(); 3. } 4. class A6 implements printable{ 5. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");} 6. 7. public static void main(String args[]){ 8. A6 obj = new A6(); 9. obj.print(); 10. } 11. }
Output:
Hello
Java Interface Example: Drawable
In this example, the Drawable interface has only one method. Its implementation is provided by Rectangle and Circle classes. In a real scenario, an interface is defined by someone else, but its implementation is provided by different implementation providers. Moreover, it is used by someone else. The implementation part is hidden by the user who uses the interface.
File: TestInterface1.java
1. //Interface declaration: by first user
2. interface Drawable{ 3. void draw(); 4. } 5. //Implementation: by second user 6. class Rectangle implements Drawable{ 7. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing rectangle");} 8. } 9. class Circle implements Drawable{ 10. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing circle");} 11. } 12. //Using interface: by third user 13. class TestInterface1{ 14. public static void main(String args[]){ 15. Circle d=new Circle();//In real scenario, object is provided by method e.g. getDrawab le() 16. d.draw(); 17. }}
Output:
drawing circle Multiple inheritance in Java by interface If a class implements multiple interfaces, or an interface extends multiple interfaces, it is known as multiple inheritance.
1. interface Printable{ 2. void print(); 3. } 4. interface Showable{ 5. void show(); 6. } 7. class A7 implements Printable,Showable{ 8. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");} 9. public void show(){System.out.println("Welcome");} 10. 11. public static void main(String args[]){ 12. A7 obj = new A7(); 13. obj.print(); 14. obj.show(); 15. } 16. }
Output:Hello Welcome
Q) Multiple inheritance is not supported through class in java, but it is
possible by an interface, why? As I told you that multiple inheritance is not supported in the case of class because of ambiguity. However, it is supported in case of an interface because there is no ambiguity. It is because its implementation is provided by the implementation class. For example:
As you can see in the above example, Printable and Showable interface have same methods but its implementation is provided by class TestTnterface1, so there is no ambiguity.
