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In software engineering, inheritance is a mechanism that allows the creation of new classes based on previously defined ones. This enables the reusability of code and helps to reduce development time and effort. In Java, inheritance is implemented using the “extends” keyword, which allows a child class to inherit the properties and methods of a parent class.
To create an inheritance hierarchy in Java, the first step is to define a parent class, also known as a superclass or base class. This class should contain the common properties and methods that will be shared by all the child classes.
Once the parent class has been defined, child classes can be created by using the “extends” keyword, followed by the name of the parent class. For example, if we have a parent class called “Vehicle” and we want to create a child class called “Car,” we can do so by writing “public class Car extends Vehicle.” This will make the Car class a subclass of the Vehicle class, and it will inherit all the properties and methods of the Vehicle class.
In addition to inheriting properties and methods, child classes can also override them to provide their own implementation. This is done by defining a method with the same name and signature as the parent class method, but with a different implementation. This allows child classes to customize the behavior of inherited methods to suit their specific needs.
In conclusion, inheritance is a powerful mechanism in Java that allows for code reuse and extensibility. By creating an inheritance hierarchy, developers can design classes that share common properties and methods, while also allowing for customization and specialization through child classes. When used effectively, inheritance can greatly simplify the development process and improve overall code quality.
