Inheritance (Java and C# Cross Reference Guide)

The concept of a class makes it possible to define subclasses that share some or all of the main class characteristics. This is called inheritance. Inheritance also allows you to reuse code more efficiently. In a class tree, inheritance is used to design classes vertically. (You can use Interfaces to design classes horizontally within a class tree.) With inheritance, you are defining an "is-a" relationship (i.e. a chow is-a dog). Analysts using UML call this generalization where you generalize specific classes into general parent classes.

Java:   extends ParentClass Simple syntax example of class inheritance. Syntax Example: In the following example, a terminator T-600 is-an android.  public class Android { } public class T-600 extends Android { }  Java Inheritance (extends ParentClass)	C#:   : ParentClass In C#, you use the class keyword followed by the parent class after a colon. If you leave out the parent class, your class inherits from System.Object. Syntax Example: In the following example, a terminator T-600 is-an android.  public class Android { } public class T-600 : Android { }  C# Inheritance (: ParentClass)