Interface in Java

An interface in Java is a blueprint of a class. It has static constants and

abstract methods.

The interface in Java is a mechanism to achieve abstraction. There can be only

abstract methods in the Java interface, not method body. It is used to achieve
abstraction and multiple inheritance in Java.

In other words, you can say that interfaces can have abstract methods and
variables. It cannot have a method body.

Java Interface also represents the IS-A relationship.

It cannot be instantiated just like the abstract class.

Why use Java interface?

There are mainly three reasons to use interface. They are given below.

o It is used to achieve abstraction.

o By interface, we can support the functionality of multiple inheritance.
o It can be used to achieve loose coupling.

How to declare an interface?

An interface is declared by using the interface keyword. It provides total
abstraction; means all the methods in an interface are declared with the empty
body, and all the fields are public, static and final by default. A class that
implements an interface must implement all the methods declared in the
interface.

Syntax:

1. interface <interface_name>{
2.
3. // declare constant fields
4. // declare methods that abstract
5. // by default.
6. }
 Internal addition by the compiler
The Java compiler adds public and abstract keywords before the interface method.
Moreover, it adds public, static and final keywords before data members.

In other words, Interface fields are public, static and final by default, and the
methods are public and abstract.

The relationship between classes and

interfaces
As shown in the figure given below, a class extends another class, an interface
extends another interface, but a class implements an interface.

Java Interface Example

In this example, the Printable interface has only one method, and its
implementation is provided in the A6 class.

1. interface printable{
2. void print();
3. }
4. class A6 implements printable{
5. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
6.
7. public static void main(String args[]){
8. A6 obj = new A6();
9. obj.print();
10. }
11. }
Test it Now

Output:

Hello

Java Interface Example: Bank

Let's see another example of java interface which provides the implementation
of Bank interface.

File: TestInterface2.java

1. interface Bank{
2. float rateOfInterest();
3. }
4. class SBI implements Bank{
5. public float rateOfInterest(){return 9.15f;}
6. }
7. class PNB implements Bank{
8. public float rateOfInterest(){return 9.7f;}
9. }
10. class TestInterface2{
11. public static void main(String[] args){
12. Bank b=new SBI();
13. System.out.println("ROI: "+b.rateOfInterest());
14. }}
Test it Now

Output:

ROI: 9.15

Accessing implementation througth Interface

Reference:
We can create a reference for an interface. But we cant create an instance for
interface.Interface reference variable can refer to object of class which implements to
interface. and also we can access implementation by using interface reference
variable.

Java Interface Example: Drawable

In this example, the Drawable interface has only one method. Its
implementation is provided by Rectangle and Circle classes. In a real scenario,
an interface is defined by someone else, but its implementation is provided by
different implementation providers. Moreover, it is used by someone else. The
implementation part is hidden by the user who uses the interface.

File: TestInterface1.java

1. //Interface declaration: by first user

2. interface Drawable{
3. void draw();
4. }
5. //Implementation: by second user
6. class Rectangle implements Drawable{
7. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing rectangle");}
8. }
9. class Circle implements Drawable{
10. public void draw(){System.out.println("drawing circle");}
11. }
12. //Using interface: by third user
13. class TestInterface1{
14. public static void main(String args[]){
15. Drawable d=new Circle();//In real scenario, object is provided by metho
d e.g. getDrawable()
16. d.draw();
17. }}
Test it Now

Output:

drawing circle

Multiple inheritance in Java by interface

If a class implements multiple interfaces, or an interface extends multiple
interfaces, it is known as multiple inheritance.

1. interface Printable{
2. void print();
3. }
4. interface Showable{
5. void show();
6. }
7. class A7 implements Printable,Showable{
8. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
9. public void show(){System.out.println("Welcome");}
10.
11. public static void main(String args[]){
12. A7 obj = new A7();
13. obj.print();
14. obj.show();
15. }
16. }
Test it Now

Output:Hello
Welcome

Q) Multiple inheritance is not supported through class in

java, but it is possible by an interface, why?
As we have explained in the inheritance chapter, multiple inheritance is not
supported in the case of class because of ambiguity. However, it is supported
in case of an interface because there is no ambiguity. It is because its
implementation is provided by the implementation class. For example:

1. interface Printable{
2. void print();
3. }
4. interface Showable{
5. void print();
6. }
7.
8. class TestInterface3 implements Printable, Showable{
9. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
10. public static void main(String args[]){
11. TestInterface3 obj = new TestInterface3();
12. obj.print();
13. }
14. }

Output:

Hello

As you can see in the above example, Printable and Showable interface have
same methods but its implementation is provided by class TestTnterface1, so
there is no ambiguity.

Interface inheritance/ One Interface extends

another Interface
A class implements an interface, but one interface extends another interface.

1. interface Printable{
2. void print();
3. }
4. interface Showable extends Printable{
5. void show();
6. }
7. class TestInterface4 implements Showable{
8. public void print(){System.out.println("Hello");}
9. public void show(){System.out.println("Welcome");}
10.
11. public static void main(String args[]){
12. TestInterface4 obj = new TestInterface4();
13. obj.print();
14. obj.show();
15. }
16. }

Output:

Hello
 Welcome

Difference between abstract class and

interface
Abstract class and interface both are used to achieve abstraction where we can
declare the abstract methods. Abstract class and interface both can't be
instantiated.

But there are many differences between abstract class and interface that are
given below.

Abstract class Interface

1) Abstract class can have abstract Interface can have only

and non-abstract methods. abstract methods. Since Java 8, it
can have default and static
methods also.

2) Abstract class doesn't support Interface supports multiple

multiple inheritance. inheritance.

3) Abstract class can have final, Interface has only static and final
non-final, static and non-static variables.
variables.

4) Abstract class can provide the Interface can't provide the

implementation of interface. implementation of abstract class.

5) The abstract keyword is used to The interface keyword is used to

declare abstract class. declare interface.

6) An abstract class can extend An interface can extend another

another Java class and implement Java interface only.
multiple Java interfaces.

7) An abstract class can be extended An interface can be implemented

using keyword "extends". using keyword "implements".

8) A Java abstract class can have Members of a Java interface are

class members like private, protected, public by default.
etc.

9)Example: Example:
public abstract class Shape{ public interface Drawable{
public abstract void draw(); void draw();
} }

Java Package
A java package is a group of similar types of classes, interfaces and sub-packages.
Package in java can be categorized in two form, built-in package and user-defined package.
There are many built-in packages such as java, lang, awt, javax, swing, net, io, util, sql etc.
Here, we will have the detailed learning of creating and using user-defined packages.

Advantage of Java Package

1) Java package is used to categorize the classes and interfaces so that they can be easily
maintained.
2) Java package provides access protection.
3) Java package removes naming collision.

Simple example of java package

The package keyword is used to create a package in java.

1. //save as Simple.java
2. package mypack;
3. public class Simple{
4. public static void main(String args[]){
5. System.out.println("Welcome to package");
6. }
7. }
How to compile java package
If you are not using any IDE, you need to follow the syntax given below:

1. javac -d directory javafilename

For example
1. javac -d . Simple.java
The -d switch specifies the destination where to put the generated class file. You can use any
directory name like /home (in case of Linux), d:/abc (in case of windows) etc. If you want to
keep the package within the same directory, you can use . (dot).

How to run java package program

You need to use fully qualified name e.g. mypack.Simple etc to run the class.

To Compile: javac -d . Simple.java

To Run: java mypack.Simple
Output:Welcome to package
The -d is a switch that tells the compiler where to put the class file i.e. it represents destination. The .
represents the current folder.
How to access package from another package?
There are three ways to access the package from outside the package.
1. import package.*;
2. import package.classname;
3. fully qualified name.
1) Using packagename.*
If you use package.* then all the classes and interfaces of this package will be accessible but
not subpackages.
The import keyword is used to make the classes and interface of another package accessible
to the current package.
Example of package that import the packagename.*

1. //save by A.java
2. package pack;
3. public class A{
4. public void msg(){System.out.println("Hello");}
5. }

1. //save by B.java
2. package mypack;
3. import pack.*;
4.
5. class B{
6. public static void main(String args[]){
7. A obj = new A();
8. obj.msg();
9. }
10. }
Output:Hello

2) Using packagename.classname
If you import package.classname then only declared class of this package will be accessible.
Example of package by import package.classname

1. //save by A.java
2.
3. package pack;
4. public class A{
5. public void msg(){System.out.println("Hello");}
6. }

1. //save by B.java
2. package mypack;
3. import pack.A;
4.
5. class B{
6. public static void main(String args[]){
7. A obj = new A();
8. obj.msg();
9. }
10. }
Output:Hello

3) Using fully qualified name

If you use fully qualified name then only declared class of this package will be accessible.
Now there is no need to import. But you need to use fully qualified name every time when
you are accessing the class or interface.
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It is generally used when two packages have same class name e.g. java.util and java.sql
packages contain Date class.
Example of package by import fully qualified name

1. //save by A.java
2. package pack;
3. public class A{
4. public void msg(){System.out.println("Hello");}
5. }

1. //save by B.java
2. package mypack;
3. class B{
4. public static void main(String args[]){
5. pack.A obj = new pack.A();//using fully qualified name
6. obj.msg();
7. }
8. }
Output:Hello
Note: If you import a package, subpackages will not be imported.
If you import a package, all the classes and interface of that package will be imported
excluding the classes and interfaces of the subpackages. Hence, you need to import the
subpackage as well.

Note: Sequence of the program must be package then import then class.

Subpackage in java
Package inside the package is called the subpackage. It should be created to categorize the
package further.
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Let's take an example, Sun Microsystem has definded a package named java that contains
many classes like System, String, Reader, Writer, Socket etc. These classes represent a
particular group e.g. Reader and Writer classes are for Input/Output operation, Socket and
ServerSocket classes are for networking etc and so on. So, Sun has subcategorized the java
package into subpackages such as lang, net, io etc. and put the Input/Output related classes in
io package, Server and ServerSocket classes in net packages and so on.
The standard of defining package is domain.company.package e.g. com.javatpoint.bean or
org.sssit.dao.
Example of Subpackage
1. package com.javatpoint.core;
2. class Simple{
3. public static void main(String args[]){
4. System.out.println("Hello subpackage");
5. }
6. }
To Compile: javac -d . Simple.java
To Run: java com.javatpoint.core.Simple
Output:Hello subpackage

How to send the class file to another directory or

drive?
There is a scenario, I want to put the class file of A.java source file in classes folder of c:
drive. For example:

1. //save as Simple.java
2. package mypack;
3. public class Simple{
4. public static void main(String args[]){
5. System.out.println("Welcome to package");
6. }
7. }
To Compile:
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e:\sources> javac -d c:\classes Simple.java
To Run:
To run this program from e:\source directory, you need to set classpath of the directory where the class file
resides.
e:\sources> set classpath=c:\classes;.;
e:\sources> java mypack.Simple
Another way to run this program by -classpath switch of java:
The -classpath switch can be used with javac and java tool.
To run this program from e:\source directory, you can use -classpath switch of java that tells
where to look for class file. For example:
e:\sources> java -classpath c:\classes mypack.Simple
Output:Welcome to package

Ways to load the class files or jar files

There are two ways to load the class files temporary and permanent.
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o Temporary
o By setting the classpath in the command prompt
o By -classpath switch
o Permanent
o By setting the classpath in the environment variables
o By creating the jar file, that contains all the class files, and copying the jar
file in the jre/lib/ext folder.

Rule: There can be only one public class in a java source file and it must be saved by the
public class name.

1. //save as C.java otherwise Compilte Time Error

2.
3. class A{}
4. class B{}
5. public class C{}

How to put two public classes in a package?

If you want to put two public classes in a package, have two java source files containing one public class, but
keep the package name same. For example:

1. //save as A.java
2.
3. package javatpoint;
4. public class A{}
1. //save as B.java
2.
3. package javatpoint;
4. public class B{}