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Java Interface
In this tutorial, we will learn about Java interfaces. We will learn how to implement
interfaces and when to use them in detail with the help of examples.

An interface is a fully abstract class. It includes a group of abstract methods

(methods without a body).

We use the interface keyword to create an interface in Java. For example,

interface Language {
public void getType();

public void getVersion();

}

Here,

Language is an interface.

It includes abstract methods: getType() and getVersion() .

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Like abstractCourses
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interface, other classes must implement it. We use the implements
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keyword to implement an interface.

Example 1: Java Interface

interface Polygon {
void getArea(int length, int breadth);
}

// implement the Polygon interface

class Rectangle implements Polygon {

// implementation of abstract method

public void getArea(int length, int breadth) {
System.out.println("The area of the rectangle is " + (length * breadth));
}
}

class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Rectangle r1 = new Rectangle();
r1.getArea(5, 6);
}
}

Run Code (/java-programming/online-compiler)

Output

The area of the rectangle is 30

In the above example, we have created an interface named Polygon . The interface
contains an abstract method getArea() .

Here, the Rectangle class implements Polygon . And, provides the implementation
of the getArea() method.

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Language {
void getName(String name);
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}

// class implements interface

class ProgrammingLanguage implements Language {

// implementation of abstract method

public void getName(String name) {
System.out.println("Programming Language: " + name);
}
}

class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
ProgrammingLanguage language = new ProgrammingLanguage();
language.getName("Java");
}
}

Run Code (/java-programming/online-compiler)

Output

Programming Language: Java

In the above example, we have created an interface named Language . The

interface includes an abstract method getName() .

Here, the ProgrammingLanguage class implements the interface and provides the
implementation for the method.

Implementing Multiple Interfaces

In Java, a class can also implement multiple interfaces. For example,

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interface AAccess
{
contents.
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B {
// members of B
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}

class C implements A, B {
// abstract members of A
// abstract members of B
}

Extending an Interface
Similar to classes, interfaces can extend other interfaces. The extends keyword is
used for extending interfaces. For example,

interface Line {
// members of Line interface
}

// extending interface
interface Polygon extends Line {
// members of Polygon interface
// members of Line interface
}

Here, the Polygon interface extends the Line interface. Now, if any class
implements Polygon , it should provide implementations for all the abstract
methods of both Line and Polygon .

Extending Multiple Interfaces

An interface can extend multiple interfaces. For example,

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interface AAccess
{
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}
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interface C extends A, B {
...
}

Advantages of Interface in Java

Now that we know what interfaces are, let's learn about why interfaces are used in
Java.

Similar to abstract classes, interfaces help us to achieve abstraction in Java.

Here, we know getArea() calculates the area of polygons but the way area is
calculated is different for different polygons. Hence, the implementation of
getArea() is independent of one another.

Interfaces provide specifications that a class (which implements it) must follow.
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Now any class that implements the Polygon interface must provide an
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implementation for the getArea() method.

Interfaces are also used to achieve multiple inheritance in Java. For example,
 

interface Line {
…
}

interface Polygon {
…
}

class Rectangle implements Line, Polygon {

…
}

Here, the class Rectangle is implementing two different interfaces. This is how
we achieve multiple inheritance in Java.

Note: All the methods inside an interface are implicitly public and all fields
are implicitly public static final . For example,

interface Language {

// by default public static final

String type = "programming language";

// by default public
void getName();
}

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With the release Courses
of Java 8, we can now add methods with implementation inside an
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To declare default methods inside interfaces, we use the default keyword. For
example,

public default void getSides() {

// body of getSides()
}

Why default methods?

Let's take a scenario to understand why default methods are introduced in Java.

Suppose, we need to add a new method in an interface.

We can add the method in our interface easily without implementation. However,
that's not the end of the story. All our classes that implement that interface must
provide an implementation for the method.

If a large number of classes were implementing this interface, we need to track all
these classes and make changes to them. This is not only tedious but error-prone as
well.

To resolve this, Java introduced default methods. Default methods are inherited like
ordinary methods.

Let's take an example to have a better understanding of default methods.

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void getArea();
(/)
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// default method
default void getSides() {
System.out.println("I can get sides of a polygon.");
}
}

// implements the interface

class Rectangle implements Polygon {
public void getArea() {
int length = 6;
int breadth = 5;
int area = length * breadth;
System.out.println("The area of the rectangle is " + area);
}

// overrides the getSides()

public void getSides() {
System.out.println("I have 4 sides.");
}
}

// implements the interface

class Square implements Polygon {
public void getArea() {
int length = 5;

Run Code (/java-programming/online-compiler)

Output

The area of the rectangle is 30

I have 4 sides.
The area of the square is 25
I can get sides of a polygon.

In the above example, we have created an interface named Polygon . It has a

default method getSides() and an abstract method getArea() .

Here, we have created two classes Rectangle and Square that implement Polygon

.
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overrides theAllgetSides() method. However, the Square class only provides the
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implementation of the getArea() method.
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Now, while calling the getSides() method using the Rectangle object, the
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overridden method is called. However, in the case of the Square object, the default
method is called.

private and static Methods in Interface

The Java 8 also added another feature to include static methods inside an
interface.

Similar to a class, we can access static methods of an interface using its references.
For example,

// create an interface
interface Polygon {
staticMethod(){..}
}

// access static method

Polygon.staticMethod();

Note: With the release of Java 9, private methods are also supported in
interfaces.

We cannot create objects of an interface. Hence, private methods are used

as helper methods that provide support to other methods in interfaces.

Practical Example of Interface

Let's see a more practical example of Java Interface.

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// To use the
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import java.lang.Math;
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void getArea();
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// calculate the perimeter of a Polygon
default void getPerimeter(int... sides) {
int perimeter = 0;
for (int side: sides) {
perimeter += side;
}

System.out.println("Perimeter: " + perimeter);

}
}

class Triangle implements Polygon {

private int a, b, c;
private double s, area;

// initializing sides of a triangle

Triangle(int a, int b, int c) {
this.a = a;
this.b = b;
this.c = c;
s = 0;
}

Run Code (/java-programming/online-compiler)

Output

Area: 2.9047375096555625
Perimeter: 9

In the above program, we have created an interface named Polygon . It includes a

default method getPerimeter() and an abstract method getArea() .

We can calculate the perimeter of all polygons in the same manner so we

implemented the body of getPerimeter() in Polygon .

Now, all polygons that implement Polygon can use getPerimeter() to calculate
perimeter.
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