What is a super class in java

In Java, a superclass is a class whose properties and methods are inherited by subclasses. It is divided into direct superclass (parent class) and indirect superclass (ancestor class). The functions of superclasses include code reuse, polymorphism, and improving code maintainability. A subclass declares inheritance from a superclass using the extends keyword. For example, Animal is the superclass of Dog, and Dog inherits the properties and methods of Animal while defining its own specific methods.

What is a super class in Java?

In Java, a superclass is a class whose properties and methods are inherited by derived classes (subclasses). It defines common functionality and behavior shared by subclasses.

Types of super classes:

There are two types of super classes in Java:

• Direct super classes:Parent class, subclasses inherit directly from it.
• Indirect superclass: Ancestral class, subclasses inherit indirectly through direct superclasses.

The role of super class:

Super class plays a vital role in Java:

• Code reuse: Through inheritance, subclasses do not need to repeatedly write the code defined in the superclass, reducing redundancy and errors.
• Polymorphism: Super classes allow runtime polymorphism, that is, subclass objects can be assigned the superclass type and perform specific behaviors based on their actual type.
• Code maintainability: By separating common functionality into super classes, code maintainability is improved because modifications to the super class affect all subclasses simultaneously.

Super class syntax:

In Java, use the extends keyword to declare that a subclass inherits a superclass:

<code class="java">public class Subclass extends Superclass {
    // Subclass specific code
}</code>

Example:

Consider the following example:

<code class="java">class Animal {
    protected String name;

    public Animal(String name) {
        this.name = name;
    }

    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }
}

class Dog extends Animal {
    public Dog(String name) {
        super(name);
    }

    public void bark() {
        System.out.println("Woof!");
    }
}</code>

In this example, Animal is Dog's Super class. Dog inherits the name property and getName() method from Animal. Additionally, Dog defines its own specific method bark().

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