abstract vs interface
Interfaces specify what a class must do.
It is the blueprint of the class.
It is used to achieve total abstraction.
We are using implements keyword for interface.
Basic statement we all know in Selenium is
WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver();
WebDriver itself is an Interface.
So we are initializing Firefox browser
using Selenium WebDriver.
It means we are creating a reference variable
of the interface and creating an Object.
So WebDriver is an Interface and
FirefoxDriver is a class.
Sometimes we may come across a situation
where we cannot provide implementation to
all the methods in a class. We want to leave the
implementation to a class that extends it.
In that case we declare a class
as abstract by using abstract keyword on method
signature.In my framework I have created my
PageBase class as super
class of the all page classes.
I have collected all common elements
and functions into PageBase class and
all other page classes extent PageBase class.
By doing so, I don't have to locate very
common WebElements and it provides
reusability in my framework.
Also
1)Abstract classes cannot be instantiated
2)An abstarct classes contains abstract method,
concrete methods or both.
3)Any class which extends abstarct class must
override all methods of abstract class
4)An abstarct class can contain either
0 or more abstract method.