University of Central Florida (UCF) COP3330 Object Oriented Programming Final Practice Exam

Java implements multiple inheritance through interfaces. This design choice allows a class to implement multiple interfaces, thereby enabling the class to inherit behavior from multiple sources without the complexity and ambiguity that can arise from multiple inheritance of classes.

Interfaces in Java define a contract of methods that a class can agree to implement, providing a way to achieve polymorphism and allowing for a separation of definitions and implementations. When a class implements multiple interfaces, it can provide its own implementation for methods defined in those interfaces, allowing for greater flexibility and reusability of code.

This approach effectively overcomes the limitations that come with class inheritance, such as the "diamond problem," where a class inherits from two classes that have a common ancestor. By relying on interfaces, Java maintains a simpler and more stable inheritance model that supports multiple inheritance of type without the associated complications that can occur with class-based multiple inheritance.

In summary, by utilizing interfaces, Java allows for a form of multiple inheritance that leverages the benefits of polymorphism while avoiding issues related to ambiguity and method resolution that arise from direct class inheritance.