In Java, inheritance is a fundamental concept of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) that allows a class to inherit properties and behaviors from another class. The class that is being inherited from is called the superclass or parent class, and the class that inherits is called the subclass or child class. This mechanism promotes code reusability and helps in creating a hierarchy of classes.
Types of Inheritance:
Single Inheritance: In single inheritance, a subclass can inherit from only one superclass. Java supports single inheritance for classes.
Multiple Inheritance (Through Interfaces): While Java does not support multiple inheritance for classes (a class can’t extend more than one class), it does support multiple inheritance through interfaces. A class can implement multiple interfaces, allowing it to inherit abstract methods from each interface.
Multilevel Inheritance: In multilevel inheritance, a class can inherit from another class, and then another class can inherit from the second class, creating a chain of inheritance.
Hierarchical Inheritance: In hierarchical inheritance, multiple classes inherit from a single superclass, forming a hierarchy.
Inheritance is a powerful concept in Java that supports code organization, reusability, and polymorphism.