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Why HttpServlet is a abstract class defined?

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Why HttpServlet is a abstract class defined?
posted Oct 19, 2013 by Nagarajuk

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1 Answer

+2 votes

It is abstract because the implementations of key methods have to be provided by (e.g. overridden by) a custom servlet class. As the javadoc says:

A subclass of HttpServlet must override at least one method, usually one of these:
    1. doGet, if the servlet supports HTTP GET requests
    2. doPost, for HTTP POST requests
    3. doPut, for HTTP PUT requests
    4. doDelete, for HTTP DELETE requests
    5. init and destroy, to manage resources that are held for the life of the servlet
    6. getServletInfo, which the servlet uses to provide information about itself

If you extend the class without overriding any methods, you will get a useless servlet; i.e. one that gives an error response for all requests. Similarly, if the class was not abstract, then any direct instance of HttpServlet would be useless.

Hence, the reason for making the HttpServlet class abstract is to prevent a (naive) programmer error.

answer Oct 19, 2013 by Majula Joshi
Still i did
not get clear answer
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Why abstract class can't be instantiated i.e. Object of abstract class can't be created??

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