Description: An abstract class is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming that refers to a class that cannot be instantiated directly and is intended to be inherited by other classes. Its main purpose is to provide a common base for subclasses, defining methods and properties that must be implemented by these. Abstract classes can contain abstract methods, which are methods that do not have an implementation in the base class, forcing subclasses to provide their own implementations. This encourages code reuse and the creation of more organized class hierarchies. Additionally, abstract classes can include concrete methods, which do have an implementation, allowing subclasses to inherit common functionality. In summary, abstract classes are powerful tools that enable developers to establish a contract for subclasses, ensuring that certain features and behaviors are consistently implemented throughout the class hierarchy.
