Classes can be declared as abstract by putting the keyword abstract before the class definition. For example:
public abstract class A
{
// Class members here.
}
An abstract class cannot be instantiated. The purpose of an abstract class is to provide a common definition of a base class that multiple derived classes can share. For example, a class library may define an abstract class that is used as a parameter to many of its functions, and require programmers using that library to provide their own implementation of the class by creating a derived class.
Abstract classes may also define abstract methods. This is accomplished by adding the keyword abstract before the return type of the method. For example:
public abstract class A
{
public abstract void DoWork(int i);
}
Abstract methods have no implementation, so the method definition is followed by a semicolon instead of a normal method block. Derived classes of the abstract class must implement all abstract methods. When an abstract class inherits a virtual method from a base class, the abstract class can override the virtual method with an abstract method. For example:
public class D
{
public virtual void DoWork(int i)
{
// Original implementation.
}
}
public abstract class E : D
{
public abstract override void DoWork(int i);
}
public class F : E
{
public override void DoWork(int i)
{
// New implementation.
}
}
If a virtual method is declared abstract, it is still virtual to any class inheriting from the abstract class. A class inheriting an abstract method cannot access the original implementation of the method—in the previous example, DoWork on class F cannot call DoWork on class D. In this way, an abstract class can force derived classes to provide new method implementations for virtual methods.
public abstract class A
{
// Class members here.
}
An abstract class cannot be instantiated. The purpose of an abstract class is to provide a common definition of a base class that multiple derived classes can share. For example, a class library may define an abstract class that is used as a parameter to many of its functions, and require programmers using that library to provide their own implementation of the class by creating a derived class.
Abstract classes may also define abstract methods. This is accomplished by adding the keyword abstract before the return type of the method. For example:
public abstract class A
{
public abstract void DoWork(int i);
}
Abstract methods have no implementation, so the method definition is followed by a semicolon instead of a normal method block. Derived classes of the abstract class must implement all abstract methods. When an abstract class inherits a virtual method from a base class, the abstract class can override the virtual method with an abstract method. For example:
public class D
{
public virtual void DoWork(int i)
{
// Original implementation.
}
}
public abstract class E : D
{
public abstract override void DoWork(int i);
}
public class F : E
{
public override void DoWork(int i)
{
// New implementation.
}
}
If a virtual method is declared abstract, it is still virtual to any class inheriting from the abstract class. A class inheriting an abstract method cannot access the original implementation of the method—in the previous example, DoWork on class F cannot call DoWork on class D. In this way, an abstract class can force derived classes to provide new method implementations for virtual methods.