What is the difference between composition and inheritance in Java?

What is the difference between composition and inheritance in Java?

Composition and inheritance are both ways to achieve code reuse in Java. Inheritance is a relationship where one class derives from another, while composition involves building classes using references to other classes.

Can you give me an example of each?

Sure! For inheritance, consider a class Animal and a subclass Dog. For composition, you might have a class Car that contains an instance of a Engine class.

Which one is better to use?

It depends on the situation. Composition is often preferred for its flexibility and to avoid the tight coupling that can occur with inheritance.

Are there any drawbacks to using composition?

Yes, while composition offers flexibility, it can lead to more complex code structures and may require more boilerplate code to delegate functionality.