26.2. Generalization
The concepts CashPayment, CreditPayment, and CheckPayment are all very similar. In this situation, it is possible (and useful[1]) to organize them (as in Figure 26.1) into a generalization-specialization class hierarchy (or simply class hierarchy) in which the superclass Payment represents a more general concept, and the subclasses more specialized ones.
[1] Later in the chapter, we will investigate reasons to define class hierarchies.
Figure 26.1. Generalization-specialization hierarchy.
Note that the discussion of classes in this chapter refers to conceptual classes, not software classes.
Generalization is the activity of ...
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