Why java8 introduces default method in an interface?

An interface in Java is similar to class but, it contains only abstract methods and fields which are final and static.

It is a specification of method prototypes. Whenever you need to guide the programmer or, make a contract specifying how the methods and fields of a type should be you can define an interface.

Example

interface MyInterface{
   public void display();
   public void setName(String name);
   public void setAge(int age);
}

If you need your class to follow a certain specification you need to implement the required interface and provide body for all the abstract methods in that interface.

For example, if you want to create a thread, one way to do so is to implement the runnable interface and provide body to the abstract method run().

Example

public class RunnableDemo implements Runnable {
   private Thread t;
   private String threadName;
   RunnableDemo(String name) {
      threadName = name;
   }
   public void run() {
      System.out.println("implementation of the runnable method");
   }
   public void start () {
      t = new Thread (this, threadName);
      t.start ();
   }
   public static void main(String args[]) {
      RunnableDemo r = new RunnableDemo("Thread_1");
      r.start();
   }
}

Output

Creating Thread_1
implementation of the runnable method

If you do not provide the implementation of all the abstract methods of an interface (you, implement) a compile time error is generated.

Example

public class RunnableDemo implements Runnable {
   private Thread t;
   private String threadName;
   RunnableDemo( String name) {
      threadName = name;
      System.out.println("Creating " + threadName );
   }
   /*public void run() {
      System.out.println("implementation of the runnable method");
   }*/
   public static void main(String args[]) {
      RunnableDemo r = new RunnableDemo( "Thread-1");
   }
}

Compile time error

RunnableDemo.java:1: error: RunnableDemo is not abstract and does not override abstract method run() in Runnable
public class RunnableDemo implements Runnable {
^
1 error

What if new methods are added in the interfaces?

Suppose we are using certain interface and implemented all the abstract methods in that interface and new methods were added later.

Then, all the classes using this interface will not work unless you implement the newly added methods in each of them.

To resolve this issue from Java8 default methods are introduced.

Default methods

A default method is also known as defender method or virtual extension method. You can define a default method using the default keyword as −

default void display() {
   System.out.println("This is a default method");
}

Once write a default implementation to a particular method in an interface. there is no need to implement it in the classes that already using (implementing) this interface.

Example

Following Java Example demonstrates the usage of the default method in Java.

interface sampleInterface{
   public void demo();
   default void display() {
      System.out.println("This is a default method");
   }
}
public class DefaultMethodExample implements sampleInterface{
   public void demo() {
      System.out.println("This is the implementation of the demo method");
   }
   public static void main(String args[]) {
      DefaultMethodExample obj = new DefaultMethodExample();
      obj.demo();
      obj.display();
   }
}

Output

This is the implementation of the demo method
This is a default method

Note − All the methods of an interface are public therefore there is no need to use public before it explicitly.