Question

I want to write an abstract method but the compiler persistently gives this error:

abstract methods cannot have a body

I have a method like this:

public abstract boolean isChanged() {
    return smt else...
}

What is wrong here?

Answer 1

Abstract methods means there is no default implementation for it and an implementing class will provide the details.

Essentially, you would have

abstract class AbstractObject {
   public abstract void method();
}

class ImplementingObject extends AbstractObject {
  public void method() {
    doSomething();
  }
}

So, it’s exactly as the error states: your abstract method can not have a body.

There’s a full tutorial on Oracle’s site at: http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/IandI/abstract.html

The reason you would do something like this is if multiple objects can share some behavior, but not all behavior.

A very simple example would be shapes:

You can have a generic graphic object, which knows how to reposition itself, but the implementing classes will actually draw themselves.

(This is taken from the site I linked above)

abstract class GraphicObject {
    int x, y;
    ...
    void moveTo(int newX, int newY) {
        ...
    }
    abstract void draw();
    abstract void resize();
}

class Circle extends GraphicObject {
    void draw() {
        ...
    }
    void resize() {
        ...
    }
}
class Rectangle extends GraphicObject {
    void draw() {
        ...
    }
    void resize() {
        ...
    }
}