The interface is suitable for defining behavioral norms, and the abstract class is suitable for sharing code and state. 1. The interface is completely abstract, including only method signatures and constants, and supports default and static methods; abstract classes can contain specific implementations, member variables and constructors. 2. A class can only inherit one abstract class, but can implement multiple interfaces, which is suitable for multiple inheritance behaviors. 3. The interface implements default extension through the default method, and abstract classes implement it through traditional methods and access other members. 4. The interface emphasizes "what can be done" and is used as a contract for module interaction; abstract classes emphasize "what is" and "how to do it", which is suitable as a template sharing structure.
Interface and abstract class in Java are important tools for realizing abstraction and polymorphism, but they are obviously different in usage scenarios and design purposes. Simply put: interface is more suitable for defining behavioral norms, and abstract class is more suitable for sharing code and state.

1. Different degrees of abstraction
An interface is completely abstract, it can only contain method signatures and constants. Since Java 8, there are default methods and static methods, but in essence they are still mainly based on defining behavior.
Abstract class is between a concrete class and an interface. It can have abstract methods, concrete implementations, member variables, constructors, etc. It is more suitable for partial implementation, allowing subclasses to complete the remaining parts.

For example:
- If you want to define “all animals will call”, using interface is very suitable.
- If you want "all animals have names, ages, and can be called", it is more natural to use abstract class.
2. The inheritance mechanism is different
A class can only inherit one abstract class, but can implement multiple interfaces. This makes the interface more advantageous when multiple inheritance behaviors are required.

for example:
class Dog extends Animal implements Pet, Mammal { ... }
This structure is common, especially when you want to put different abilities together.
Conversely, if you use abstract class, you have to search up the inheritance chain layer by layer to limit more.
3. Default implementation and compatibility update
After Java 8 introduces the default method, interface can also provide a default implementation. This allows the interface to be extended without breaking existing implementations.
For example, you can add a default method to an existing interface, and the old implementation class can be compiled without any changes.
The default implementation of abstract class is more traditional. Just write the method body directly, and you can also access other members of the class, which is more flexible.
4. Different design intentions: contract vs template
- Interface is a contract that emphasizes “what can be done.”
- Abstract class is a template that emphasizes "what" and "how to do it".
So when you design the interaction between system modules, interface is more suitable; when you have a set of related classes that need to share the code structure, abstract class is more suitable.
In general, choosing interface or abstract class depends on whether you want to define a set of behavioral norms or make part of it for subclass inheritance.
Basically that's it.
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