Inheritance is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming (OOP) that allows a new class, called the “subclass” or “derived class,” to inherit attributes and behaviors from an existing class, known as the “superclass” or “base class.” The derived class can reuse, extend, or override the functionalities of the base class.
Key points about inheritance
Code Reusability: Inheritance promotes code reuse by allowing a new class to inherit and use the properties and methods of an existing class.
Hierarchy: Classes form a hierarchy, with the superclass at the top and subclasses below. This hierarchy represents an “is-a” relationship, where a subclass is a specialized version of its superclass.
Extensibility: Subclasses can extend the functionality of the base class by adding new attributes and methods or by overriding existing ones.
Polymorphism: Inheritance contributes to polymorphism, allowing objects of the subclass to be treated as objects of the superclass. This enhances flexibility and adaptability in the code.
Access Control: Inherited members (fields and methods) may have different access levels (public, private, protected) based on the visibility declared in the superclass.