In an UML diagram, when should a class be abstract? Just when we want to prevent instantiation?
Edit: Can an abstract class fully implement a method (when the method only depends on the attributes of that abstract class)?
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In an UML diagram, when should a class be abstract? Just when we want to prevent instantiation?
Edit: Can an abstract class fully implement a method (when the method only depends on the attributes of that abstract class)?
Preventing instantiation is a matter of implementation, so it is a good reason if you are thinking in terms of Java, C# etc.
However, on the level of modelling, you’d want to make a class abstract if there are several subclasses, and it makes no sense that an object is of the supertype but of neither of the subtypes.
So, basically you’re not preventing instantiation of the class, since any instance of the subclass is also an instance of the abstract superclass. What you are doing in that case is preventing instantiation of the superclass alone, i.e. enforce using one of the subtypes.
Answer to EDIT: Yes!