TypeScript - Abstract Class

Define an abstract class in Typescript using the abstract keyword. Abstract classes are mainly for inheritance where other classes may derive from them. We cannot create an instance of an abstract class.

An abstract class typically includes one or more abstract methods or property declarations. The class which extends the abstract class must define all the abstract methods.

The following abstract class declares one abstract method find and also includes a normal method display.

Example: Abstract Class

abstract class Person {
    name: string;
    
    constructor(name: string) {
        this.name = name;
    }

    display(): void{
        console.log(this.name);
    }

    abstract find(string): Person;
}

class Employee extends Person { 
    empCode: number;
    
    constructor(name: string, code: number) { 
        super(name); // must call super()
        this.empCode = code;
    }

    find(name:string): Person { 
        // execute AJAX request to find an employee from a db
        return new Employee(name, 1);
    }
}

let emp: Person = new Employee("James", 100);
emp.display(); //James

let emp2: Person = emp.find('Steve');

In the above example, Person is an abstract class which includes one property and two methods, one of which is declared as abstract. The find() method is an abstract method and so must be defined in the derived class. The Employee class derives from the Person class and so it must define the find() method as abstract. The Employee class must implement all the abstract methods of the Person class, otherwise the compiler will show an error.

The class which implements an abstract class must call super() in the constructor.

The abstract class can also include an abstract property, as shown below.

Example: Abstract Class with Abstract Property

abstract class Person {
    abstract name: string;

    display(): void{
        console.log(this.name);
    }
}

class Employee extends Person { 
    name: string;
    empCode: number;
    
    constructor(name: string, code: number) { 
        super(); // must call super()
        
        this.empCode = code;
        this.name = name;
    }
}

let emp: Person = new Employee("James", 100);
emp.display(); //James