Question

In C++ we can extend (derive) a base class privately to a child class:

class Base
{
// ....
};

class Child : private Base
{
// ....
};

What is Java’s corresponding syntax ?
If Java hasn’t it, what do Java programmers?

Answer 1

Java’s syntax for inheritance:

class Base {}
class Child extends Base
{
  // ...
}

There is no private inheritance in Java. Java only has public inheritance. That is, you both inherit implementation and interface.

With private inheritance, you would only inherit implementation. It’s basically a more static form of composition, as far as I remember.

In most cases, you can use composition to do the same thing.

public class Child{
   private Base base;

   public Child(...){
       base = new Base(...);
   }
}