The Object-Oriented Thought Process Chapter 08 Frameworks and Reuse: Designing with Interfaces and Abstract Classes

What Is a Framework? Hand in hand with the concept of code reuse is the concept of standardization, which is sometimes called plug and play. The idea of a framework revolves around these plug-and-play and reuse principles. A common framework makes it easier to learn various applications within the framework. It also makes a developer’s life easier by promoting maximum code reuse

Code Reuse Revisited Inheritance and composition allow for reuse for basically one class. Frameworks focus on reusing whole or partial systems.

What Is a Contract? In the context of this chapter, we will consider a contract to be any mechanism that requires a developer to comply with the specifications of an API. Often, an API is referred to as a framework. The online dictionary, Dictionary.com (http://www.dictionary.com), defines a contract as “an agreement between two or more parties for the doing or not doing of something specified” and “an agreement enforceable by law”.

The Term Contract The term contract is widely used in many aspects of business, including software development. Do not confuse the concept presented here with other possible software design concepts called contracts. Enforcement is vital because it is always possible (perhaps even easy) for a developer to break a contract.

Abstract Classes One way a contract is implemented is via an abstract class. An abstract class is a class that contains one or more methods that do not have any implementation provided. An abstract cannot be instantiated. Concrete classes can be instantiated.

Framework Caution Be aware that in the cases of Shape, Circle, and Rectangle, we are dealing with a strict inheritance relationship. As opposed to an interface. This is an important point because contracts are not used in cases of composition, or has-a relationships.

Protocols Some languages, such as C++, use only abstract classes to implement contracts. Java and .NET have another mechanism that implements a contract called an interface. In other cases, such as Objective-C, abstract classes are not provided by the language. Thus, to implement a contract in Objective-C, you need to use a protocol, which is Objective-C’s version of an interface.

Interfaces An interface is similar to an abstract class but it does not provide any implementation. The obvious question is this: If an abstract class can provide the same functionality as an interface, why do Java and .NET bother to provide this construct called an interface? And why does Objective-C provide the protocol?

Interfaces When using an interface, you do not have to concern yourself with a formal inheritance structure. You can theoretically add an interface to any class if the design makes sense. An abstract class requires you to inherit from that abstract class and, by extension, all of its potential parents.

Interface Terminology Be aware that you can use the term interface in several ways, so be sure to use each in the proper context. First, the graphical user interface (GUI) is widely used when referring to the visual interface that a user interacts with—often on a monitor. Second, the interface to a class is basically the signatures of its methods. Third, in Objective-C you break the code up into physically separate modules called the interface and implementation. Fourth, a Java-style interface and an Objective-C protocol are basically a contract between a parent class and a child class.

Tying It All Together If both abstract classes and interfaces provide abstract methods, what is the real difference between the two? Abstract classes require a strict inheritance relationship and must be related and can provide implementation. Interfaces can be used for classes that are not related and do not provide implementation.

Using Interfaces An interface specifies certain behavior, but not the implementation. By implementing an interface, you are saying that you will provide concrete behavior by implementing methods abstract methods. How you implement these methods is up to you. All you have to do is to provide the concrete methods.

System Plug-in Points Basically, contracts are “plug-in points” into your code. Anyplace where you want to make parts of a system abstract, you can use a contract. Instead of coupling to objects of specific classes, you can connect to any object that implements the contract.