One of the main reasons why we cannot instantiate an abstract class in Java is because it is abstract by definition. An abstract class is a class that is declared with the keyword “abstract” and it is used as a blueprint for other classes to inherit from. It is meant to be extended and implemented by other classes, rather than being directly instantiated.
When a class is declared as abstract, it means that it is not complete or fully implemented. It may have some methods that are not defined or implemented, leaving them to be implemented by the classes that inherit from it. This is why we cannot create an instance of an abstract class, as it is not fully functional on its own.
Another reason for not being able to instantiate an abstract class is that it may contain abstract methods. Abstract methods are methods that are declared but not implemented in the abstract class. These methods are meant to be overridden and implemented by the subclasses. Since the abstract class itself does not provide an implementation for these methods, it cannot be instantiated.
In addition, an abstract class may also contain regular methods that are fully implemented. These methods can be used by the subclasses without any modifications. However, since the abstract class is still incomplete, it cannot be instantiated.
To make use of an abstract class, we need to create a subclass that extends the abstract class and provides implementations for its abstract methods. This subclass can then be instantiated and used to create objects. By extending the abstract class, the subclass inherits the properties and methods defined in the abstract class, allowing it to be used as a complete and functional class.
We cannot instantiate an abstract class in Java because it is abstract, meaning it is not complete or fully implemented. It serves as a blueprint for other classes to inherit from and must be extended and implemented by subclasses before it can be used to create objects.