Composition, Aggregation, and
Inheritance - Introduction
SE-1020 1
Dr. Mark L. Hornick
Prior to this chapter, all of our objects have been
relatively simple, so we've been able to describe each
object with just a single class.
This is the natural approach when the attributes are all
simple elements.
class diagram
Automobile
- make: String
- model: String
- year: int
- color: java.awt.Color
+ soundHorn(int :duration) : void
2
Composition
For an object that's more complex (non-trivial
attributes), break up the object into its constituent
parts and defining one class as the whole and other
classes as parts of the whole.
When the whole class is the exclusive owner of the parts
classes, then that class organization is called a composition.
class diagram
Engine
- displacement: double
Automobile
- fuel: String Note the “solid”
- make: String
+ turnOff() : void diamond!
+ turnOn() : void
- model: String
- year: int
- color: java.awt.Color
+ soundHorn(int :duration) : void
Wheel
- diameter: double
- width: double
3
A nested composition hierarchy for the human body:
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Composition semantics
In a composition hierarchy, the relationship between a
containing class and one of its part classes is known
as a has-a relationship.
For example, each human body has a brain and has a heart.
An automobile has an engine and has wheels.
Remember that with a composition relationship, a
component part is limited to just one owner at a time.
For example, a heart can be in only one body at a time.
An engine can only be in one automobile at a time.
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Composition vs. Aggregation
There's another has-a relationship, called aggregation, which is
a weaker form of composition. With aggregation, one class is
the whole and other classes are parts of the whole (as with
composition), but there is no additional constraint that requires
parts to be exclusively owned by the whole.
An example where the parts (Students) are not exclusively
owned by the whole, because the Student can also be part of
another aggregation, like a School Club or Athletic Team.
class diagram
Note the “hollow”
Course
diamond!
- title: String Student
- instructor: String - name: String
- section: int - birthdate: java.util.Date
- credits: int - major: String
- room: String
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UML Class Diagram details for Composition and
Aggregation
Universal Modeling Language (UML) Class diagrams show the
relationships between a program's classes:
A solid line between two classes represents an association – a relationship
between classes.
On an association line, a solid diamond indicates a composition relationship,
and a hollow diamond indicates an aggregation relationship. The diamond
goes next to the container class.
a simple straight line is an unspecified association
The labels on the association lines are called multiplicity values. They
indicate the number of object instances for each of the two connected classes.
The * multiplicity value represents any size number, zero through infinity. 7
UML Class Diagram illustrating “dependency”
class diagram
BankAccount Math
- balance: double + pow(double, double) : double
+ sqrt(double) : double
+ computeInterest() : double
Suppose the computeInterest() method of BankAccount uses the pow()
method of the Math class
When a class merely “uses” another class, that relationship is called a
dependency and is illustrated with a dotted line
A dotted line between two classes represents an dependency
A dependency line contains an arrow which points to the class (Math) that the
other class (BankAccount) depends upon.
It is not always necessary to illustrate dependencies
8
Classes with family ties
Sometimes we find that two (or more) classes could be
related to each other in the sense that
They are not the exactly the same, but they are not
completely different either
One of the classes is a “special case” of the other, and
needs to behave a little differently
Examples:
Class Automobile is a special case of class Vehicle
Class Beagle is a special case of Class Dog
This type of class relationship is called
Inheritance
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Dr. Mark L. Hornick
Inheritance Example - People in a Department Store
Here's a UML class diagram for an inheritance hierarchy that keeps track
of people in a department store:
Person The Person class is generic
- it contains data and
-name : String
methods that are common to
all classes in the hierarchy.
As you go down the hierarchy,
the classes get more specific.
Customer Employee
For example, the Customer
-address : String -id : Integer and Employee classes
describe specific types of
people in the store.
FullTime PartTime
-salary : Double -hourlyWage : Double
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Inheritance Terminology
Within an inheritance hierarchy, pairs of classes are linked
together. For each pair of linked classes, the more generic class
is called the superclass and the more specific class is called the
subclass.
We say that subclasses are derived from superclasses. That
makes sense when you realize that subclasses inherit all of the
superclass's data and methods.
Unfortunately, the terms superclass and subclass can be
misleading. The "super" in superclass could imply that
superclasses have more capability and the "sub" in subclass
could imply that subclasses have less capability. Actually, it's the
other way around - subclasses have more capability. Subclasses
can do everything that superclasses can do, plus more.
In fact, a subclass must be capable of doing everything a superclass does,
and should never violate the Liskov Substitution Principle
We'll stick with the terms superclass and subclass since those
are the formal terms used by Sun, but be aware of this
alternative terminology:
Programmers often use the terms parent class or base class when
referring to a superclass.
Programmers also use the terms child class or derived class when 11
referring to a subclass.
The Java mechanism for defining a
inheritance relationship between two
classes is called extension:
class diagram
In Dog.java:
Dog
public class Dog{…} - name: String
In Beagle.java: - age: int
public class Beagle extends Dog{…} + Dog(name :String, age :int)
+ speak() : void
The extends keyword establishes the
inheritance relationship
extends means “is a kind of” Beagle
+ speak() : void
+ Beagle(name :String, age :int)
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Dr. Mark L. Hornick
Usually, UML class diagrams show
superclasses above subclasses.
That's a common practice, but not a requirement. The
following is a requirement….
UML class diagrams use an arrow for inheritance class diagram
relationships, with a hollow arrowhead pointing to the Dog
superclass. -
-
name: String
age: int
Warning: + Dog(name :String, age :int)
+ speak() : void
The direction of arrows in UML class diagrams is opposite to
the direction in which inheritance flows. In the diagram
the Beagle class inherits the name variable from the
Dog class. And yet the arrow does not go from Dog to Beagle
Beagle; it goes from Beagle to Dog. That's because + speak() : void
the arrow points to the superclass, and Dog is the + Beagle(name :String, age :int)
superclass.
UML class diagram review:
What are the class boxes' minus signs for?
What are the class boxes' third compartments for?
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Benefits of Inheritance
It helps with code reusability -
A superclass's code can be used for multiple subclasses.
That eliminates code redundancy and makes debugging
and upgrading easier.
1
A programmer can use an existing class to easily create a
new subclass (no need to "reinvent the wheel.")
Smaller modules (because classes are split
2 into superclasses and subclasses) -
That makes debugging and upgrading easier.
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Rules of inheritance class pets
All attributes and methods defined in a superclass Superclass
are inherited by all subclasses -
~
privateAttr
packageAttr
Except for constructors!!! #
+
protectedAttr
publicAttr
- privateMethod() methodA()
But: Only protected and public attributes and ~
#
packageMethod()
protectedMethod()
can only
access these
+ publicMethod()
methods defined in the superclass are accessible attributes and
methods
in the subclasses of the
meaning only those superclass attributes superclass
Subclass
are visible to the subclasses + methodA() : void
And only those superclass methods are
callable by the subclasses
Package attributes and methods are
accessible only if the subclass is in the
same package as the superclass
Everything except the private members of the superclass is visible from
a method of the subclass
Private methods and attributes defined in a superclass are only accessible within the
superclass itself
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Dr. Mark L. Hornick
Visibility from other classes
SomeOtherClass’s doSomething() method
can only access the public attributes and class pets
methods of Superclass:
Superclass
- privateAttr
• publicAttr ~
#
packageAttr
protectedAttr
• publicMethod() + publicAttr
- privateMethod()
~ packageMethod()
# protectedMethod() SomeOtherClass
• and methodA() of Subclass + publicMethod()
+ doSomething() : void
Subclass
Package attributes and methods are + methodA() : void
accessible if SomeOtherClass is in the
same package as Superclass and
Subclass
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Dr. Mark L. Hornick
Inheritance and Constructors
Unlikeattributes and regular methods of a
superclass, constructors of a superclass are
not inherited by its subclasses
You must define a constructor for a subclass
or let the compiler add a default subclass
constructor
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Dr. Mark L. Hornick
There are many cases in which a subclass
may want to utilize the behavior
implemented in a superclass constructor
So that the subclass does not have to completely
reimplement the same behavior
…which, remember, is not inherited
For example, if the Dog class has the following
constructor:
public void Dog(String name, int age) {
// Dog initialization goes here
}
Within the Beagle class:
public void Beagle(String name, int age) {
super(name, age); // invoke Dog ctor
// other statements can go here, but the FIRST statement
// must be the invocation of the superclass ctor
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} Dr. Mark L. Hornick
If a superclass has only a default
constructor
public void BaseClass(){
// initialization code here
}
Within the derived class:
public void DerivedClass() {
super(); // invoke BaseClass default ctor
}
Portions adapted with permission from the textbook
author.
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Dr. Mark L. Hornick
Actually, the invocation of a
superclass’s default constructor is
performed automatically when…
1. A subclass does not explicitly invoke it’s superclass
constructor
2. If the subclass does not contain a constructor
method at all
Portions adapted with permission from the textbook
author.
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Dr. Mark L. Hornick
A subclass constructor must invoke a
superclass constructor whenever:
1. The superclass does not contain a default constructor
2. Private inherited attributes of the superclass need to
be initialized
Portions adapted with permission from the textbook
author.
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Dr. Mark L. Hornick
A subclass method can
redefine a superclass method
class diagram
This is called overriding a Dog
method
- name: String
- age: int
+ Dog(name :String, age :int)
Do not confuse with method + speak() : void
overloading (which is where a class
implements multiple methods having the
same name but different parameters) Beagle
+ speak() : void
+ Beagle(name :String, age :int)
A subclass overrides a Beagle provides it’s own custom
superclass method to provide implementation of speak()
a specialized behavior
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Dr. Mark L. Hornick
Method overriding is when a subclass has a
method with the same name and the same
parameter types as a method in its
superclass.
If a subclass contains an overriding method:
By default, an object of the subclass will use the subclass's
overriding method (and not the superclass's overridden
method).
Sometimes, an object of the subclass may need to call the
superclass's overridden method. To do that, preface the
method call with "super." (don't forget the dot).
If a subclass and a superclass have methods with the
same name, same parameter types, and different
return types, that generates a compilation error.
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Methods modified with the final
keyword cannot be overridden
We declare a method final if we want to
prevent subclasses from changing the
behavior of the method via an override.
Similarly, classes modified with the final
keyword cannot be extended.
We declare a class to be final if we want to
prevent subclasses from extending that class.
Portions adapted with permission from the textbook
author.
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Dr. Mark L. Hornick
