Object Oriented Programming Questions Medium
The 'extends' keyword in object-oriented programming (OOP) is used to establish an inheritance relationship between classes. It allows a subclass to inherit the properties and methods of a superclass, enabling code reuse and promoting the concept of code organization and modularity.
By using the 'extends' keyword, a subclass can inherit all the non-private members (fields and methods) of the superclass. This means that the subclass can access and use these inherited members as if they were defined within the subclass itself. In other words, the 'extends' keyword allows for the creation of a hierarchical relationship between classes, where a subclass can inherit and extend the functionality of its superclass.
The purpose of the 'extends' keyword is to facilitate the implementation of inheritance, one of the fundamental principles of OOP. Inheritance allows for the creation of specialized classes (subclasses) that inherit the characteristics of more general classes (superclasses). This promotes code reuse, as common attributes and behaviors can be defined in a superclass and inherited by multiple subclasses.
Additionally, the 'extends' keyword enables the concept of polymorphism, which allows objects of different classes to be treated as objects of a common superclass. This promotes flexibility and extensibility in the design and implementation of software systems.
In summary, the purpose of the 'extends' keyword in OOP is to establish an inheritance relationship between classes, enabling code reuse, promoting modularity, and facilitating the implementation of polymorphism.