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Multiple inheritance is a feature of some object-oriented computer programming languages in which an object or class can inherit features from more than one parent object or parent class. It is distinct from single inheritance, where an object or class may only inherit from one particular object or class.
Multiple inheritance has been a controversial issue for many years,[1][2] with opponents pointing to its increased complexity and ambiguity in situations such as the "diamond problem", where it may be ambiguous as to which parent class a particular feature is inherited from if more than one parent class implements said feature. This can be addressed in various ways, including using virtual inheritance.[3] Alternate methods of object composition not based on inheritance such as mixins and traits have also been proposed to address the ambiguity.
- ^ Cargill, T. A. (Winter 1991). "Controversy: The Case Against Multiple Inheritance in C++". Computing Systems. 4 (1): 69–82.
- ^ Waldo, Jim (Spring 1991). "Controversy: The Case For Multiple Inheritance in C++". Computing Systems. 4 (2): 157–171.
- ^ Schärli, Nathanael; Ducasse, Stéphane; Nierstrasz, Oscar; Black, Andrew. "Traits: Composable Units of Behavior" (PDF). Web.cecs.pdx.edu. Retrieved 2016-10-21.