Types of Inheritance in Java: Single, Multiple, Multilevel, and Hybrid Inheritance

Java is one of the most widely used programming languages. Though Java is a vast concept to talk about, this blog focuses on the methodology of inheritance and the types single, multiple, multilevel & hybrid inheritance in Java. Thanks to Sun Microsystems for this discovery in 1995. If coding is your new found love in IT then you will realize how Java has created a new wave in the business. Keeping up with the ongoing developments Java has always evolved and upgraded itself. This programming language is used by IT professionals to develop new applications and build interactive websites.

What makes Java the preferred tool

What is inheritance? As the name suggests, Inheritance is the process where an object acquires all the properties and characteristics from the parent object. The best example is children inheriting the qualities and attributes of their parents. It is a crucial part of object oriented programming system. With such a system you can create new classes that are built upon existing classes. But what does class mean in the IT world? For beginners, the below table gives you an overview of the concept of class.

Now that we have understood about the class, let’s look at the types of inheritance.

• SINGLE LEVEL INHERITANCE:

When a class inherits another class it is single inheritance. For e.g. Cricket is a class that inherits Sports class.

• MULTIPLE INHERITANCE:

This involves involvement of two or more classes wherein one class inherits from the parent class and the new sub class that is created becomes the base class. As shown below Class C is inhering properties of Class A and B.

• MULTILEVEL INHERITANCE:

A chain of inheritance is termed as multi-level inheritance. It is a method where one class inherits from the parent class and the newly created sub-class becomes the base class for another new class.

• HYBRID INHERITANCE

Hybrid inheritance is a combination of single and multiple inheritances. Java does not support multiple inheritances; hence Hybrid Inheritance can be achieved through interfaces.

Through this blog we have tried to cover the concept of Inheritance in brief.  However there is much more to this. In order to stay head of the game this field demands constant upskilling. With some of the finest institutions offering courses to sharpen the skills, one can work and educate themselves simultaneously. We as an institution want to keep spreading knowledge that will help individuals discover their inner strengths.