What is Abstraction?

Abstraction is an important concept in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). It focuses on hiding complex implementation details and showing only the essential features of an object.

Simple Definition: Abstraction = Show only what is necessary, hide the rest.

Real-Life Example

Think about driving a car:

• You press the brake → the car stops
• You don’t see hydraulic pressure, brake pads, or piston mechanics

The system hides the complex details and gives you a simple interface.

How Abstraction Works in Programming

Abstraction is achieved by:

• Abstract Classes
• Interfaces

Abstraction Using Abstract Class (C# Example)

// Abstract class example
abstract class Animal
{
    public abstract void MakeSound();  // Abstract method
    public void Sleep()                // Normal method
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Sleeping...");
    }
}

class Dog : Animal
{
    public override void MakeSound()
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Bark");
    }
}

Here, the abstract class hides the internal process of how the dog makes a sound. The programmer only sees MakeSound().

Abstraction Using Interface (C# Example)

interface IVehicle
{
    void Start();
    void Stop();
}

class Car : IVehicle
{
    public void Start()
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Car starting...");
    }
    public void Stop()
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Car stopping...");
    }
}

The interface defines WHAT must be done, not HOW. Each class provides its own implementation.

Why Use Abstraction?

• Reduces code complexity
• Keeps implementation details hidden
• Improves security
• Increases maintainability
• Allows focus on essential functionality

Conclusion

Abstraction helps simplify complex systems by exposing only the necessary parts. It is key to building clean, understandable, and scalable software.