Evolution of interfaces in Java

Prior to java 8, interfaces can have following type of variables/methods.

• Constant variables
• Abstract methods

So we cannot have method implementation in interfaces or more precisely a default implementation prior to Java 8. See the example.

Example

public class Tester {
   public static void main(String []args) {

      LogOracle log = new LogOracle();
      log.logInfo("");
      log.logWarn("");
      log.logError("");
      log.logFatal("");
      LogMySql log1 = new LogMySql();
      log1.logInfo("");
      log1.logWarn("");
      log1.logError("");
      log1.logFatal("");
   }
}
final class LogOracle implements Logging {
   @Override
   public void logInfo(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "INFO");
      closeConnection();
   }
   @Override
   public void logWarn(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "WARN");
      closeConnection();
   }
   @Override
   public void logError(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "ERROR");
      closeConnection();
   }
   @Override
   public void logFatal(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "FATAL");
      closeConnection();
   }
   @Override
   public void getConnection() {
      System.out.println("Open Database connection");
   }
   @Override
   public void closeConnection() {
      System.out.println("Close Database connection");
   }
}
final class LogMySql implements Logging {
   @Override
   public void logInfo(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "INFO");
      closeConnection();
   }
   @Override
   public void logWarn(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "WARN");
      closeConnection();
   }
   @Override
   public void logError(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "ERROR");
      closeConnection();
   }
   @Override
   public void logFatal(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "FATAL");
      closeConnection();
   }
   @Override
   public void getConnection() {
      System.out.println("Open Database connection");
   }
   @Override
   public void closeConnection() {
      System.out.println("Close Database connection");
   }
}
interface Logging {
   String ORACLE = "Oracle_Database";
   String MYSQL = "MySql_Database";

   void logInfo(String message);
   void logWarn(String message);
   void logError(String message);
   void logFatal(String message);

   void getConnection();
   void closeConnection();
}

Output

You will see the following output.

Open Database connection
Log Message : INFO
Close Database connection
Open Database connection
Log Message : WARN
Close Database connection
Open Database connection
Log Message : ERROR
Close Database connection
Open Database connection
Log Message : FATAL
Close Database connection

In above example, each log method has its own implementation. With Java 8 interfaces can have following type of variables/methods.

• Constant variables
• Abstract methods
• Default methods
• Static methods

Let's have default implementation and static methods in interface itself using Java 8.

Example

public class Tester {
   public static void main(String []args) {

      LogOracle log = new LogOracle();
      log.logInfo("");
      log.logWarn("");
      log.logError("");
      log.logFatal("");

      LogMySql log1 = new LogMySql();
      log1.logInfo("");
      log1.logWarn("");
      log1.logError("");
      log1.logFatal("");
   }
}
final class LogOracle implements Logging {
}
final class LogMySql implements Logging {
}
interface Logging {
   String ORACLE = "Oracle_Database";
   String MYSQL = "MySql_Database";

   default void logInfo(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "INFO");
      closeConnection();
   }
   default void logWarn(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "WARN");
      closeConnection();
   }
   default void logError(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "ERROR");
      closeConnection();
   }
   default void logFatal(String message) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + "FATAL");
      closeConnection();
   }
   static void getConnection() {
      System.out.println("Open Database connection");
   }
   static void closeConnection() {
      System.out.println("Close Database connection");
   }
}

Output

You will see the following output.

Open Database connection
Log Message : INFO
Close Database connection
Open Database connection
Log Message : WARN
Close Database connection
Open Database connection
Log Message : ERROR
Close Database connection
Open Database connection
Log Message : FATAL
Close Database connection

In above example, we're having repeation again. With Java 9 interfaces can have following type of variables/methods.

• Constant variables
• Abstract methods
• Default methods
• Static methods
• Private methods
• Private Static methods

Let's have private methods and use them in Java 9.

Example

public class Tester {
   public static void main(String []args) {

      LogOracle log = new LogOracle();
      log.logInfo("");
      log.logWarn("");
      log.logError("");
      log.logFatal("");

      LogMySql log1 = new LogMySql();
      log1.logInfo("");
      log1.logWarn("");
      log1.logError("");
      log1.logFatal("");
   }
}
final class LogOracle implements Logging {
}
final class LogMySql implements Logging {
}
interface Logging {
   String ORACLE = "Oracle_Database";
   String MYSQL = "MySql_Database";

   private void log(String message, String prefix) {
      getConnection();
      System.out.println("Log Message : " + prefix);
      closeConnection();
   }
   default void logInfo(String message) {
      log(message, "INFO");
   }
   default void logWarn(String message) {
      log(message, "WARN");
   }
   default void logError(String message) {
      log(message, "ERROR");
   }
   default void logFatal(String message) {
      log(message, "FATAL");
   }
   private static void getConnection() {
      System.out.println("Open Database connection");
   }
   private static void closeConnection() {
      System.out.println("Close Database connection");
   }
}

Output

You will see the following output.

Open Database connection
Log Message : INFO
Close Database connection
Open Database connection
Log Message : WARN
Close Database connection
Open Database connection
Log Message : ERROR
Close Database connection
Open Database connection
Log Message : FATAL
Close Database connection