Summary: in this tutorial, you’ll learn about the differences between interfaces and abstract classes.
Interfaces and abstract classes are both powerful tools in TypeScript for designing and organizing your code, but they serve slightly different purposes.
The following table illustrates the differences between interfaces and abstract classes:
| Aspect | Interfaces | Abstract Classes |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Define contractual structure. | Provide common functionality and structure. |
| Implementation | Contains only method signatures. | Can contain implemented methods and abstract methods. |
| Multiple Inheritance | Supports multiple interface implementation. | Supports single class inheritance. |
| Implementation Flexibility | No implementation code in interfaces. | Mixes implemented and abstract methods. |
| Extensibility | Easily extendable by adding new properties/methods. | Can provide shared methods for derived classes. |
| Constructors | No constructors in interfaces. | Can have constructors for initialization. |
| Type Checking | Ensures objects adhere to the structure. | Provides a common type and functionality. |
| Instantiation | Interfaces can’t be instantiated. | Abstract classes can’t be instantiated directly. |
| Usage | Designing contracts and structure. | Sharing functionality among related classes. |
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