CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javaclassinterface
Ashish siwalkar
Ashish siwalkar

Reputation: 13

can we use extends in place of implement to use interface

I am trying to use extends keyword in place of implement to use interface is it possible in java.

Interface myinterface
{
     //methods
}

public class myclass extends myinterface
{
    //methods
}

Tell me the purpose of these two words extends and implements. why class is not use implement keyword to inherits the class from other class

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2721

Answers (7)

Jagadeesh Pulamarasetti
Jagadeesh Pulamarasetti

Reputation: 483

class extends class (Correct)

class extends interface (Incorrect) => class implements interface (Correct)

interface extends interface (Correct)

interface extends class (Incorrect) (Never possible)

Upvotes: 0

codingenious
codingenious

Reputation: 8653

Extends - is used by a class for extending some features of another class, so that same method or fields can be reused. Basic example can be :

 class Animal
{
  private String name;
   public void setName(String name)
   {
      this.name = name;
   }
   public int getLegs()
   {
      return 2;
   }
}

class Elephant extends Animal
{
   public int getLegs()
   {  
      return 4;
   }
}

Now, setter is reused and extends doesn't mandate it to be overriden, but as per requirement any method can be overriden also, as getter in our case.

Implements - A class can implement an interface. This helps in achieving abstraction. any method in interface needs to be implemented by any class that is implementing the interface. It is mandatory, until or unless class is abstract, in which case any other concrete class should implement the unimplemented methods.

So, a class can extends other class for reusing functionality, and a class can implement an interface to enforce some functionality that a class must provide by itself.

Now, why interface extends interface, I am also not sure, may be its because sub interface will extend the methods of super interface and it will enforce implementation of methods in super interface on class that is implementing the sub interface. As super interface does not enforce implementation on sub interface, so implements can not be used.

I hope I am clear.

Upvotes: 0

Carl Manaster
Carl Manaster

Reputation: 40336

As others, most succinctly @Stefan Beike, have said: no, you can't use extends when you mean implements. What you can do, if desired, is to add an in-between abstract class which implements your interface, and then extend that class. Sometimes this is done with empty implementations of the interface's methods, and then you only need to override the methods of interest in your child class. But it can be a purely abstract class if all you want is to use extends where implements would otherwise be called for.

Upvotes: 0

Ravi K Thapliyal
Ravi K Thapliyal

Reputation: 51711

Classes cannot extend an Interface. They can only implement them. Only an Interface can extend another Interface just like only a Class can extend another Class.

Tell me the purpose of these two words extends and implements.

When a class extends it inherits attributes and behaviour i.e. methods from the class it extends from. A class can only extend from one class since multiple inheritance isn't supported in Java.

When a class implements it provides behaviour i.e. implementation for the methods defined as stubs (just the signature without code) in the Interface it implements. A class can however implement multiple interfaces.

When an Interface extends another Interface its simply adding more methods to the list of methods that a Class implementing it needs to provide implementation for.

Upvotes: 1

Tim
Tim

Reputation: 222

Think about the two words and what they are telling you.

Implements - means to put something into effect. An interface is regularly defined as a contract of what methods a class must have, or implement. Essentially you are putting that contract into effect.

Extends - means to make longer. By extending the class you are basically making it longer by also including all the methods of the extended class.

Two different words that are giving you, by definition, two different abilities within your code.

Upvotes: 2

Laurent B
Laurent B

Reputation: 2220

Interface cannot be extended but rather implemented. Interfaces can contain only constants, method signatures, and nested types. That is they only represent an abstraction of your model or can simply contain a list of constants.

Interfaces support inheritance. You can have for instance :

public interface InterfaceA extends InterfaceB

If you really want to extend from a class and have some abstract methods you can use an abstract class as :

public abstract class AbstractA {
  public abstract void myAbstractMethod;
}

public class A extends AbstractA {
  @Override 
  public abstract void myAbstractMethod {
       // your code
  }
}

Upvotes: 2

René Jensen
René Jensen

Reputation: 451

No, you have to use implements with interfaces.

You can however make an abstract class if you absolutely need to use extend.

Upvotes: 1

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