Abstract Classes in Scala
Abstraction is the process to hide the internal details and showing only the functionality. In Scala, abstraction is achieved by using an abstract class. The working of the Scala abstract class is similar to Java abstract class. In Scala, an abstract class is constructed using the abstract keyword. It contains both abstract and non-abstract methods and cannot support multiple inheritances. A class can extend only one abstract class.
Syntax:
abstract class class_name { // code.. }
The abstract methods of abstract class are those methods which do not contain any implementation. Or in other words, the method which does not contain body is known as an abstract method.
Syntax:
def function_name()
Example:
// Scala program to illustrate how to // create an abstract class // Abstract class abstract class myauthor { // abstract method def details() } // GFG class extends abstract class class GFG extends myauthor { def details() { println( "Author name: Ankita Saini" ) println( "Topic name: Abstract class in Scala" ) } } object Main { // Main method def main(args : Array[String]) { // objects of GFG class var obj = new GFG() obj.details() } } |
Output:
Author name: Ankita Saini Topic name: Abstract class in Scala
Following are some important observations about abstract classes in Scala.
- Like Java, in Scala, we are not allowed to create the instance of the abstract class. If we try to create objects of the abstract class, then the compiler will give an error as shown in the below program.
Example:// Scala program to illustrate
// the concept of abstract class
// Abstract class
abstract
class
myauthor{
// abstract method
def
details()
}
object
Main {
// Main method
def
main(args
:
Array[String]) {
// Object of myauthor class
var
obj
=
new
myauthor()
}
}
Output:
prog.scala:18: error: class myauthor is abstract; cannot be instantiated
var obj = new myauthor()
^
one error found - In Scala, an abstract class can also contain fields. These fields are accessed by the abstract class methods and by the methods of the class which inherit abstract class. As shown in the below program.
Example:// Scala program to illustrate
// the concept of abstract class
// Abstract class with fields
abstract
class
Geek
{
var
name
:
String
=
"w3wiki"
var
tutorial
:
String
=
"Scala"
def
portal()
}
// GFG class extends abstract class
class
GFG
extends
Geek
{
// Abstract class method accessing
// fields of the abstract class
def
portal()
{
println(
"Portal name: "
+ name)
}
// GFG class method accessing
// fields of the abstract class
def
tutdetails()
{
println(
"Tutorial name: "
+ tutorial)
}
}
object
Main
{
// Main method
def
main(args
:
Array[String])
{
// objects of GFG class
var
obj
=
new
GFG()
obj.portal()
obj.tutdetails()
}
}
Output:
Portal name: w3wiki Tutorial name: Scala
- Like Java, In Scala, an abstract class can also contain a constructor and a constructor of an abstract class is called when an instance of a inherited class is created. As shown in the below program.
Example:// Scala program to illustrate
// the concept of abstract class
// Abstract class with constructor
// And the constructor contain two arguments
abstract
class
myauthor(name
:
String,
topic
:
String)
{
def
details()
}
// GFG class extends abstract class
class
GFG(name
:
String, topic
:
String)
extends
myauthor(name, topic)
{
def
details()
{
println(
"Author name: "
+ name)
println(
"Topic name: "
+ topic)
}
}
object
Main
{
// Main method
def
main(args
:
Array[String])
{
// objects of GFG class
var
obj
=
new
GFG(
"Ankita"
,
"Abstract class"
)
obj.details()
}
}
Output:
Author name: Ankita Topic name: Abstract class
- An abstract class can also contain only non- abstract method. This allows us to create classes that cannot be instantiated, but can only be inherited. As shown in the below program.
Example:// Scala program to illustrate
// the concept of abstract class
// Abstract class with
// non-abstract method
abstract
class
myauthor
{
// Non-abstract method
def
details()
{
println(
"Welcome to w3wiki"
)
}
}
// GFG class extends abstract class
class
GFG
extends
myauthor{}
object
Main
{
// Main method
def
main(args
:
Array[String])
{
// objects of GFG class
var
obj
=
new
GFG()
obj.details()
}
}
Output:
Welcome to w3wiki
- In Scala, an abstract class can contain final methods (methods that cannot be overridden). For example, the following program compiles and runs without an error. In Scala, final method is created using final keyword.
Example:// Scala program to illustrate
// the concept of abstract class
// Abstract class with the final method
abstract
class
myauthor
{
final
def
mymethod()
{
println(
"Final method"
)
}
}
// GFG class extends abstract class
class
GFG
extends
myauthor{}
object
Main
{
// Main method
def
main(args
:
Array[String])
{
// objects of GFG class
var
obj
=
new
GFG()
obj.mymethod()
}
}
Output:
Final method
When to use abstract class in Scala:
An abstract class is useful:
- When we want to construct a base class which needs constructor arguments.
- When our code will be called from Java code.
Note:Traits are also used to achieve abstraction.