What are the best practices for using inheritance in programming?

What are the best practices for using inheritance in programming?

When using inheritance, it's important to ensure that the base class is well-defined and that derived classes are cohesive. Avoid deep inheritance hierarchies and prefer composition over inheritance when possible.

Can you explain why composition is often preferred over inheritance?

Composition allows for more flexible code reuse and can lead to fewer issues with tight coupling. It enables you to change behavior at runtime and promotes better separation of concerns.

What are some common pitfalls to avoid with inheritance?

Common pitfalls include creating overly complex hierarchies, violating the Liskov Substitution Principle, and making base classes too general, which can lead to confusion and maintenance challenges.

How can I determine when to use inheritance versus composition?

Use inheritance when there is a clear 'is-a' relationship and the base class provides shared behavior. Opt for composition when you need to combine behaviors or when the relationship is more of a 'has-a' type.