here are some similarities and differences between an interface and an abstract class that I have arranged in a table for easier comparison:
Feature | Interface | Abstract class |
Multiple inheritance | A class may inherit several interfaces. | A class may inherit only one abstract class. |
Default implementation | An interface cannot provide any code, just the signature. | An abstract class can provide complete, default code and/or just the details that have to be overridden. |
| Access Modfiers | An interface cannot have access modifiers for the subs, functions, properties etc everything is assumed as public | An abstract class can contain access modifiers for the subs, functions, properties |
Core VS Peripheral | Interfaces are used to define the peripheral abilities of a class. In other words both Human and Vehicle can inherit from a IMovableinterface. | An abstract class defines the core identity of aclass and there it is used for objects of the same type. |
Homogeneity | If various implementations only share method signatures then it is better to use Interfaces. | If various implementations are of the same kind and use common behaviour or status then abstractclass is better to use. |
Speed | Requires more time to find the actual method in the corresponding classes. | Fast |
Adding functionality (Versioning) | If we add a new method to an Interface then we have to track down all the implementations of theinterface and define implementation for the new method. | If we add a new method to an abstract class then we have the option of providing default implementation and therefore all the existing code might work properly. |
| Fields and Constants | No fields can be defined ininterfaces | An abstract class can have fields and constrants defined |
Using the Code
Let me explain the code to make it a bit easier. There is an
Employee abstract class and an IEmployee interface. Within the Abstract class and the Interface entity I am commenting on the differences between the artifacts.I am testing both the Abstract class and the Interface by implementing objects from them. From the
Employee abstract class, we have inherited one object: Emp_Fulltime. Similarly from IEmployee we have inherited one object: Emp_Fulltime2.In the test code under the GUI, I am creating instances of both
Emp_Fulltime and Emp_Fulltime2 and then setting their attributes and finally calling the calculateWage method of the objects.Abstract Class Employee
Collapseusing System;
namespace AbstractsANDInterfaces
{
///
/// Summary description for Employee.
///
public abstract class Employee
{
//we can have fields and properties
//in the Abstract class
protected String id;
protected String lname;
protected String fname;
//properties
public abstract String ID
{
get;
set;
}
public abstract String FirstName
{
get;
set;
}
public abstract String LastName
{
get;
set;
}
//completed methods
public String Update()
{
return "Employee " + id + " " +
lname + " " + fname +
" updated";
}
//completed methods
public String Add()
{
return "Employee " + id + " " +
lname + " " + fname +
" added";
}
//completed methods
public String Delete()
{
return "Employee " + id + " " +
lname + " " + fname +
" deleted";
}
//completed methods
public String Search()
{
return "Employee " + id + " " +
lname + " " + fname +
" found";
}
//abstract method that is different
//from Fulltime and Contractor
//therefore i keep it uncompleted and
//let each implementation
//complete it the way they calculate the wage.
public abstract String CalculateWage();
}
}Interface Employee
Collapseusing System;
namespace AbstractsANDInterfaces
{
/// <summary>
/// Summary description for IEmployee.
/// </summary>
public interface IEmployee
{
//cannot have fields. uncommenting
//will raise error!
// protected String id;
// protected String lname;
// protected String fname;
//just signature of the properties
//and methods.
//setting a rule or contract to be
//followed by implementations.
String ID
{
get;
set;
}
String FirstName
{
get;
set;
}
String LastName
{
get;
set;
}
// cannot have implementation
// cannot have modifiers public
// etc all are assumed public
// cannot have virtual
String Update();
String Add();
String Delete();
String Search();
String CalculateWage();
}
}Inherited Objects
Emp_Fulltime: Collapseusing System;
namespace AbstractsANDInterfaces
{
///
/// Summary description for Emp_Fulltime.
///
//Inheriting from the Abstract class
public class Emp_Fulltime : Employee
{
//uses all the properties of the
//Abstract class therefore no
//properties or fields here!
public Emp_Fulltime()
{
}
public override String ID
{
get
{
return id;
}
set
{
id = value;
}
}
public override String FirstName
{
get
{
return fname;
}
set
{
fname = value;
}
}
public override String LastName
{
get
{
return lname;
}
set
{
lname = value;
}
}
//common methods that are
//implemented in the abstract class
public new String Add()
{
return base.Add();
}
//common methods that are implemented
//in the abstract class
public new String Delete()
{
return base.Delete();
}
//common methods that are implemented
//in the abstract class
public new String Search()
{
return base.Search();
}
//common methods that are implemented
//in the abstract class
public new String Update()
{
return base.Update();
}
//abstract method that is different
//from Fulltime and Contractor
//therefore I override it here.
public override String CalculateWage()
{
return "Full time employee " +
base.fname + " is calculated " +
"using the Abstract class...";
}
}
}Emp_Fulltime2: Collapseusing System;
namespace AbstractsANDInterfaces
{
///
/// Summary description for Emp_fulltime2.
///
//Implementing the interface
public class Emp_fulltime2 : IEmployee
{
//All the properties and
//fields are defined here!
protected String id;
protected String lname;
protected String fname;
public Emp_fulltime2()
{
//
// TODO: Add constructor logic here
//
}
public String ID
{
get
{
return id;
}
set
{
id = value;
}
}
public String FirstName
{
get
{
return fname;
}
set
{
fname = value;
}
}
public String LastName
{
get
{
return lname;
}
set
{
lname = value;
}
}
//all the manipulations including Add,Delete,
//Search, Update, Calculate are done
//within the object as there are not
//implementation in the Interface entity.
public String Add()
{
return "Fulltime Employee " +
fname + " added.";
}
public String Delete()
{
return "Fulltime Employee " +
fname + " deleted.";
}
public String Search()
{
return "Fulltime Employee " +
fname + " searched.";
}
public String Update()
{
return "Fulltime Employee " +
fname + " updated.";
}
//if you change to Calculatewage().
//Just small 'w' it will raise
//error as in interface
//it is CalculateWage() with capital 'W'.
public String CalculateWage()
{
return "Full time employee " +
fname + " caluculated using " +
"Interface.";
}
}
}Code for Testing
Collapse//This is the sub that tests both
//implementations using Interface and Abstract
private void InterfaceExample_Click(object sender,
System.EventArgs e)
{
try
{
IEmployee emp;
Emp_fulltime2 emp1 = new Emp_fulltime2();
emp = emp1;
emp.ID = "2234";
emp.FirstName= "Rahman" ;
emp.LastName = "Mahmoodi" ;
//call add method od the object
MessageBox.Show(emp.Add().ToString());
//call the CalculateWage method
MessageBox.Show(emp.CalculateWage().ToString());
}
catch(Exception ex)
{
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
}
}
private void cmdAbstractExample_Click(object sender,
System.EventArgs e)
{
Employee emp;
emp = new Emp_Fulltime();
emp.ID = "2244";
emp.FirstName= "Maria" ;
emp.LastName = "Robinlius" ;
MessageBox.Show(emp.Add().ToString());
//call the CalculateWage method
MessageBox.Show(emp.CalculateWage().ToString());
}Conclusion
In the above examples, I have explained the differences between an abstract class and an interface. I have also implemented a demo project which uses both abstract class and interface and shows the differences in their implementation.
