💡 Abstraction is a core concept in object-oriented programming (OOP) that allows developers to hide complex implementation details and expose only essential features of a class or object.

Key Concepts

  • Abstract Classes:

    • Cannot be instantiated directly.
    • May contain abstract methods (without implementation) and concrete methods.
    • Example: 
      abstract class Animal {  
    abstract void makeSound();  
    void eat() {  
        System.out.println("Eating...");  
    }  
}
    abstract_class

  • Interfaces:

    • Define a contract for classes to implement.
    • Contain only abstract methods (in Java 8+ can have default/static methods).
    • Example: 
      interface SoundMaker {  
    void makeSound();  
}
    interface_example

Practical Applications

  • Simplify complex systems by focusing on high-level interactions.
  • Achieve decoupling between components.
  • Use abstract classes for shared functionality with common implementation.
  • Interfaces for defining behavior without specifying how it’s implemented.

Example Scenario

Imagine a Vehicle abstract class with an abstract method move(). Subclasses like Car and Bicycle implement this method differently.

abstraction_scenario

Further Learning

For a deeper dive into polymorphism (another OOP pillar closely related to abstraction), check out:
Polymorphism in Java OOP

Explore more Java advanced topics: Java OOP Guide