Difference between a parent class and super class
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Parent Class vs. Superclass: Demystifying Inheritance Terminology
Explore the nuances between 'parent class' and 'superclass' in object-oriented programming, understanding their identical meaning and common usage.
In object-oriented programming (OOP), inheritance is a fundamental concept allowing a class to inherit properties and behaviors from another class. This mechanism promotes code reusability and establishes a hierarchical relationship between classes. When discussing this relationship, you'll often encounter terms like 'parent class' and 'superclass'. While these terms are frequently used interchangeably, it's worth clarifying their meaning and common usage to avoid any confusion. This article will demystify these terms, demonstrating that they refer to the exact same concept.
The Core Concept: Inheritance Hierarchy
At its heart, inheritance defines a 'is-a' relationship. A subclass 'is a' type of its superclass. For example, a Car 'is a' Vehicle. In this relationship, the Vehicle class provides general characteristics and behaviors common to all vehicles, while the Car class adds specific attributes and methods unique to cars. The class that provides the inherited features is known as the base class, and the class that inherits them is the derived class. The terms 'parent class' and 'superclass' are simply different names for this base class.
Illustrating the inheritance hierarchy with interchangeable terminology
Parent Class: A Common Analogy
The term 'parent class' draws a direct analogy from family trees. Just as a child inherits traits from a parent, a child class (or subclass) inherits members from its parent class. This terminology is intuitive and helps beginners grasp the concept of lineage and dependency in class structures. It emphasizes the source from which characteristics are passed down.
Superclass: A More Formal Term
Conversely, 'superclass' is often considered a more formal or technical term, particularly prevalent in languages like Java. The prefix 'super-' implies a class that is 'above' or 'superior' in the class hierarchy, providing the foundational structure for its 'sub-' (subordinate) classes. While 'parent class' is descriptive, 'superclass' is often preferred in technical documentation and discussions within certain programming communities. Regardless of the term, both refer to the class from which another class inherits.
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type: tabs
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items: [
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{
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language: 'java',
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title: 'Java Example',
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content: """// Superclass (also Parent Class) class Vehicle { String brand = "Ford"; public void honk() { System.out.println("Tuut, tuut!"); } }
// Subclass (also Child Class) class Car extends Vehicle { String modelName = "Mustang"; public static void main(String[] args) { Car myCar = new Car(); myCar.honk(); System.out.println(myCar.brand + " " + myCar.modelName); } }"""
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},
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{
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language: 'python',
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title: 'Python Example',
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content: """# Superclass (also Parent Class) class Vehicle: def init(self): self.brand = "Ford"
def honk(self):
print("Tuut, tuut!")
Subclass (also Child Class)
class Car(Vehicle): def init(self): super().init() # Calls the constructor of the parent class self.model_name = "Mustang"
def display_info(self):
print(f"{self.brand} {self.model_name}")
if name == "main": my_car = Car() my_car.honk() my_car.display_info()"""
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},
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{
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language: 'cpp',
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title: 'C++ Example',
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content: """// Superclass (also Parent Class)
#include
class Vehicle { public: std::string brand = "Ford"; void honk() { std::cout << "Tuut, tuut!" << std::endl; } };
// Subclass (also Child Class) class Car : public Vehicle { public: std::string modelName = "Mustang"; void displayInfo() { std::cout << brand << " " << modelName << std::endl; } };
int main() { Car myCar; myCar.honk(); myCar.displayInfo(); return 0; }"""
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}
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]
As seen in the examples above, regardless of the language, the class from which Car inherits is consistently referred to as the base class. In Java, extends is used, and super() is explicitly called in the subclass constructor to refer to the superclass. In Python, the parent class is specified in parentheses, and super() is used for method calls. C++ uses the colon (:) followed by the access specifier to denote inheritance.
Conclusion
The terms 'parent class' and 'superclass' are effectively interchangeable in the context of object-oriented programming inheritance. Both refer to the class that is being inherited from, serving as the base or foundation for a derived class (also known as a child class or subclass). Understanding this equivalence helps in navigating various programming resources and discussions without getting caught up in terminology differences. Focus on the underlying concept of inheritance and how it structures your code for reusability and logical organization.