Java™ How To Program (Early Objects), Tenth Edition

Using Abstract Classes to Declare Variables

Although we cannot instantiate objects of abstract superclasses, you’ll soon see that we can use abstract superclasses to declare variables that can hold references to objects of any concrete class derived from those abstract superclasses. We’ll use such variables to manipulate subclass objects polymorphically. You also can use abstract superclass names to invoke static methods declared in those abstract superclasses.

Consider another application of polymorphism. A drawing program needs to display many shapes, including types of new shapes that you’ll add to the system after writing the drawing program. The drawing program might need to display shapes, such as Circles, Triangles, Rectangles or others, ...