A class that inherits from another class is referred to as a(n)
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is: Subclass.
In object-oriented programming (OOP), a subclass is a class that inherits properties and behaviors (methods) from another class, referred to as the superclass or parent class. Inheritance allows a subclass to reuse code from the superclass, making the development process more efficient and the codebase easier to maintain. The subclass can also override or extend the methods of the superclass to add specialized behavior.
In OOP, inheritance is one of the core principles that enables code reuse and creates a hierarchical structure for organizing classes. It allows a class to inherit attributes and methods from another class without having to rewrite those methods. For example, if there is a superclass called Vehicle, a subclass called Car can inherit properties like wheels, engine, and methods like start() or stop() from Vehicle.
Inheritance can be single or multiple. In single inheritance, a subclass inherits from one superclass, whereas in multiple inheritance, a subclass can inherit from more than one class. Some programming languages, like Python, support multiple inheritance, while others, like Java, do not allow it directly.
One of the key benefits of inheritance is the concept of polymorphism. A subclass can modify or extend methods from the superclass, and objects of the subclass can be treated as objects of the superclass. This allows for more flexible and dynamic code where the type of object can be determined at runtime.
Overall, inheritance is a powerful feature that helps programmers organize and manage their code efficiently, promoting reuse and reducing redundancy.