Interface in Java

1. Interface
2. Example of Interface
3. Multiple inheritance by Interface
4. Why multiple inheritance is supported in Interface while it is not supported in case of class.
5. Marker Interface
6. Nested Interface

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.

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.
 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:

1. interface <interface_name>{
2.
3. // declare constant fields
4. // declare methods that abstract
5. // by default.
6. }

Java 8 Interface Improvement

Since Java 8, interface can have default and static methods which is
discussed later.

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.

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.

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. }
11. }
Test it Now

Output:

Hello

Java Interface Example: Drawable

In this example, the Drawable interface has only one method. Its
implementation is provided by Rectangle and Circle classes. In a real
scenario, an interface is defined by someone else, but its implementation is
provided by different implementation providers. Moreover, it is used by
someone else. The implementation part is hidden by the user who uses the
interface.

File: TestInterface1.java

1. //Interface declaration: by first user

2. interface Drawable{
3. void draw();
4. }
5. //Implementation: by second user
6. class Rectangle implements Drawable{
7. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing rectangle");}
8. }
9. class Circle implements Drawable{
10. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing circle");}
11. }
12. //Using interface: by third user
13. class TestInterface1{
14. public static void main(String args[]){
15. Drawable d=new Circle();//In real scenario, object is provided by meth
od e.g. getDrawable()
16. d.draw();
17. }}
Test it Now

Output:

drawing circle

Java Interface Example: Bank

Let's see another example of java interface which provides the
implementation of Bank interface.

File: TestInterface2.java

1. interface Bank{
2. float rateOfInterest();
3. }
4. class SBI implements Bank{
5. public float rateOfInterest(){return 9.15f;}
6. }
7. class PNB implements Bank{
8. public float rateOfInterest(){return 9.7f;}
9. }
10. class TestInterface2{
11. public static void main(String[] args){
12. Bank b=new SBI();
13. System.out.println("ROI: "+b.rateOfInterest());
14. }}
 Test it Now

Output:

ROI: 9.15

Multiple inheritance in Java by interface

If a class implements multiple interfaces, or an interface extends multiple
interfaces, it is known as multiple inheritance.

1. interface Printable{
2. void print();
3. }
4. interface Showable{
5. void show();
6. }
7. class A7 implements Printable,Showable{
8. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
9. public void show(){System.out.println("Welcome");}
10.
11. public static void main(String args[]){
12. A7 obj = new A7();
13. obj.print();
14. obj.show();
15. }
16. }
Test it Now
Output:Hello
Welcome

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. }
4. interface Showable{
5. void print();
6. }
7.
8. class TestInterface3 implements Printable, Showable{
9. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
10. public static void main(String args[]){
11. TestInterface3 obj = new TestInterface3();
12. obj.print();
13. }
14. }
Test it Now
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Output:

Hello

As you can see in the above example, Printable and Showable interface have
same methods but its implementation is provided by class TestTnterface1,
so there is no ambiguity.
 Interface inheritance
A class implements an interface, but one interface extends another interface.

1. interface Printable{
2. void print();
3. }
4. interface Showable extends Printable{
5. void show();
6. }
7. class TestInterface4 implements Showable{
8. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
9. public void show(){System.out.println("Welcome");}
10.
11. public static void main(String args[]){
12. TestInterface4 obj = new TestInterface4();
13. obj.print();
14. obj.show();
15. }
16. }
Test it Now

Output:

Hello
Welcome

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:

File: TestInterfaceDefault.java

1. interface Drawable{
2. void draw();
3. default void msg(){System.out.println("default method");}
4. }
5. class Rectangle implements Drawable{
6. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing rectangle");}
7. }
8. class TestInterfaceDefault{
9. public static void main(String args[]){
10. Drawable d=new Rectangle();
11. d.draw();
12. d.msg();
13. }}

Output:

drawing rectangle
default method

Java 8 Static Method in Interface

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

File: TestInterfaceStatic.java

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.
9. class TestInterfaceStatic{
10. public static void main(String args[]){
11. Drawable d=new Rectangle();
12. d.draw();
13. System.out.println(Drawable.cube(3));
14. }}
Test it Now

Output:
 drawing rectangle
27

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. }

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. }

Difference between abstract class and interface

Abstract class and interface both are used to achieve abstraction where we
can declare the abstract methods. Abstract class and interface both can't be
instantiated.

Abstract class Interface

1) Abstract class can have abstract and non- Interface can have only
abstract methods. abstract methods. Since Java 8,
it can have default and static
methods also.
2) Abstract class doesn't support multiple Interface supports multiple
inheritance. inheritance.

3) Abstract class can have final, non-final, Interface has only static and
static and non-static variables. final variables.

4) Abstract class can provide the Interface can't provide the

implementation of interface. implementation of abstract
class.

5) The abstract keyword is used to declare The interface keyword is used

abstract class. to declare interface.

6) An abstract class can extend another Java An interface can extend another
class and implement multiple Java interfaces. Java interface only.

7) An abstract class can be extended using An interface can be

keyword "extends". implemented using keyword
"implements".

8) A Java abstract class can have class Members of a Java interface are
members like private, protected, etc. public by default.

9)Example: Example:
public abstract class Shape{ public interface Drawable{
public abstract void draw(); void draw();
} }

But there are many differences between abstract class and interface that are
given below.

Simply, abstract class achieves partial abstraction (0 to 100%) whereas

interface achieves fully abstraction (100%).

Example of abstract class and interface in Java

Let's see a simple example where we are using interface and abstract class
both.

1. //Creating interface that has 4 methods

2. interface A{
3. void a();//bydefault, public and abstract
4. void b();
5. void c();
6. void d();
7. }
8.
9. //Creating abstract class that provides the implementation of one method of
A interface
10. abstract class B implements A{
11. public void c(){System.out.println("I am C");}
12. }
13.
14. //Creating subclass of abstract class, now we need to provide the imple
mentation of rest of the methods
15. class M extends B{
16. public void a(){System.out.println("I am a");}
17. public void b(){System.out.println("I am b");}
18. public void d(){System.out.println("I am d");}
19. }
20.
21. //Creating a test class that calls the methods of A interface
22. class Test5{
23. public static void main(String args[]){
24. A a=new M();
25. a.a();
26. a.b();
27. a.c();
28. a.d();
29. }}
Test it Now

Output:

I am a
I am b
I am c
I am d