Inheritance: The

Cornerstone of Object-
Oriented Programming
Inheritance is a fundamental concept in object-oriented
programming (OOP) that allows you to create new classes based
on existing ones. This powerful mechanism promotes code
reusability, reduces complexity, and enhances the structure of your
programs.
by Mohit Patel
Understanding Class Hierarchy
Parent Class Child Class

A parent class, also known as a base or superclass, A child class, also called a derived or subclass, inherits
defines the general characteristics and behavior of a properties and methods from its parent class,
category of objects. extending its functionality.
Single Inheritance:
Extending Functionality
1 Simple Extension 2 Adding New Features
A child class inherits all You can define additional
attributes and methods properties and methods
from its parent class, unique to the child class,
providing a foundation for extending the
building upon existing functionality of the parent
functionality. class.

3 Code Reusability
Single inheritance promotes code reuse by leveraging the
functionality of existing classes, reducing development time
and effort.
Multiple Inheritance: Combining Capabilities
Combined Features Complex Relationships Limited Support
A child class inherits features Multiple inheritance introduces Not all programming languages
from multiple parent classes, complex relationships between support multiple inheritance
combining their capabilities into classes, requiring careful design directly, as it can lead to
a single entity. and implementation to avoid potential ambiguity and
conflicts. complexity.
Overriding Methods: Tailoring
Inherited Behavior

Redefining Behavior
A child class can redefine a method inherited from its parent class, providing a specific
implementation for its own context.

Polymorphism
Method overriding enables polymorphism, allowing objects of different classes to be treated
uniformly through a common interface.

Code Optimization
Method overriding optimizes code by allowing child classes to adapt inherited methods to
their specific requirements, enhancing code maintainability.
Access Modifiers:
Controlling Visibility
1 Public
Public members are accessible from anywhere in the
program, enabling wide access.

2 Private
Private members are only accessible within the same class,
ensuring encapsulation and data protection.

3 Protected
Protected members are accessible within the same class and
its subclasses, promoting inheritance and controlled access.
Abstract Classes: Defining Common Structures
Abstract Class
An abstract class defines a common structure and behavior for a set of related
1
classes, acting as a blueprint.

Abstract Methods
2 Abstract methods are declared but not implemented in the abstract
class, requiring subclasses to provide their specific implementations.

Concrete Implementation
3 Concrete subclasses inherit from the abstract class and
provide concrete implementations for the abstract
methods.
Benefits and Best Practices of
Inheritance
1 2
Code Reusability Maintainability
Inheritance promotes code reuse by Inheritance enhances code
leveraging existing classes, reducing maintainability by organizing related
development time and effort. classes in a hierarchical structure,
simplifying code modifications.

3 4
Extensibility Polymorphism
Inheritance enables easy extensibility, Inheritance facilitates polymorphism,
allowing you to add new functionalities allowing different objects to be treated
by creating subclasses without uniformly, enhancing code flexibility and
modifying existing code. elegance.
Single Inheritance:
Extending Functionality
Single inheritance allows a child class to inherit properties and
methods from a single parent class, creating a specialized version
of the parent.

Code Reuse Hierarchical Structure

Child classes inherit existing Single inheritance organizes