OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

Interface in Java

An interface in Java is a blueprint of a class. It has static constants and abstract methods.

The interface in Java is a mechanism to achieve abstraction

There can be only abstract methods in the Java interface, not method body. It is used to
achieve abstraction and multiple inheritance in Java

In other words, you can say that interfaces can have abstract methods and variables. It
cannot have a method body.

Java Interface also represents the IS-A relationship.

It cannot be instantiated just like the abstract class.

Since Java 8, we can have default and static methods in an interface.

Since Java 9, we can have private methods in an interface.

 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

Why use Java interface?

There are mainly three reasons to use interface. They are given below.

o It is used to achieve abstraction.

o By interface, we can support the functionality of multiple inheritance.

o It can be used to achieve loose coupling.

OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

How to declare an interface?

An interface is declared by using the interface keyword.

It provides total abstraction; means all the methods in an interface are declared with the
empty body, and all the fields are public, static and final by default.

A class that implements an interface must implement all the methods declared in the
interface.

Syntax:

interface <interface_name>{
1.
2. // declare constant fields
3. // declare methods that abstract
4. // by default.
5. }
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

Internal addition by the compiler

The Java compiler adds public and abstract keywords before the interface method.
Moreover, it adds public, static and final keywords before data members.

In other words, Interface fields are public, static and final by default, and the methods are
public and abstract.
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

The relationship between classes and interfaces

As shown in the figure given below, a class extends another class, an

interface extends another interface, but a class implements an
interface.
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

Java Interface Example

In this example, the Printable interface has only one method, and its
implementation is provided in the A6 class.
1. interface printable{
2. void print();
3. }
4. class A6 implements printable{
5. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
6.
7. public static void main(String args[]){
8. A6 obj = new A6();
9. obj.print();
10. } }
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

Java Interface Example: Drawable

1. interface Drawable{
2. void draw();
3. }
4. class Rectangle implements Drawable{
5. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing rectangle");}
6. }
7. class Circle implements Drawable{
8. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing circle");}
9. }
10. class TestInterface1{
11. public static void main(String args[]){
12. Drawable d=new Circle();
13. d.draw();
14. }}
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

Java Interface Example: Bank

1. interface Bank{
2. float rateOfInterest(); }
3. class SBI implements Bank{
4. public float rateOfInterest(){return 9.15f;}
5. }
6. class PNB implements Bank{
7. public float rateOfInterest(){return 9.7f;}
8. }
9. class TestInterface2{
10. public static void main(String[] args){
11. Bank b=new SBI();
12. System.out.println("ROI: "+b.rateOfInterest());
13. }}
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

Multiple inheritance in Java by interface

If a class implements multiple interfaces, or an interface extends multiple interfaces, it is

known as multiple inheritance.
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

1. interface Printable{
2. void print(); }
3. interface Showable{
4. void show();
5. }
6. class A7 implements Printable,Showable{
7. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
8. public void show(){System.out.println("Welcome");}
9. public static void main(String args[]){
10. A7 obj = new A7();
11. obj.print();
12. obj.show();
13. } }
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

Q) Multiple inheritance is not supported through class in java, but it is possible by an

interface, why?

As we have explained in the inheritance chapter, multiple inheritance is not supported in

the case of class because of ambiguity. However, it is supported in case of an interface because
there is no ambiguity. It is because its implementation is provided by the implementation class.
For example:

1. interface Printable{
2. void print(); }
3. interface Showable{
4. void print();
5. }
6. class TestInterface3 implements Printable, Showable{
7. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
8. public static void main(String args[]){
9. TestInterface3 obj = new TestInterface3();
10. obj.print();
11. } }
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

Hello

Interface inheritance

A class implements an interface, but one interface extends another interface.

1. interface Printable{
2. void print(); }
3. interface Showable extends Printable{
4. void show();
5. }
6. class TestInterface4 implements Showable{
7. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
8. public void show(){System.out.println("Welcome");}
9. public static void main(String args[]){
10. TestInterface4 obj = new TestInterface4();
11. obj.print();
12. obj.show();
13. } }
 OOP-UNIT 2- INTERFACE IN JAVA

Java 8 Default Method in Interface

Since Java 8, we can have method body in interface. But we need to make it default
method. Let's see an example:

1. interface Drawable{
2. void draw();
3. default void msg(){System.out.println("default method");} }
4. class Rectangle implements Drawable{
5. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing rectangle");} }
6. class TestInterfaceDefault{
7. public static void main(String args[]){
8. Drawable d=new Rectangle();
9. d.draw();
10. d.msg();
11. }}
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Java 8 Static Method in Interface

Since Java 8, we can have static method in interface. Let's see an example:

1. interface Drawable{
2. void draw();
3. static int cube(int x){return x*x*x;}
4. }
5. class Rectangle implements Drawable{
6. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing rectangle");}
7. }
8. class TestInterfaceStatic{
9. public static void main(String args[]){
10. Drawable d=new Rectangle();
11. d.draw();
12. System.out.println(Drawable.cube(3));
13. }}
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Q) What is marker or tagged interface?

An interface which has no member is known as a marker or tagged
interface, for example, Serializable
, Cloneable, Remote, etc. They are used to provide some essential information
to the JVM so that JVM may perform some useful operation.

1. //How Serializable interface is written?

2. public interface Serializable{
3. }
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Nested Interface in Java

Note: An interface can have another interface which is known as a
nested interface. We will learn it in detail in the nested classes
chapter. For example:

1. interface printable{
2. void print();
3. interface MessagePrintable{
4. void msg();
5. }
6. }