What is supertype?

A supertype is a term used in object-oriented programming languages to represent a common feature or characteristic shared by two or more subtypes. It is a way to manage and organize complex software systems by grouping together similar objects. In other words, a supertype is a generalized class or object that defines a set of common attributes and behaviors that are shared by the subtype classes or objects.

The main advantage of using supertype is that it reduces the amount of code duplication in a software system, by allowing shared elements to be defined once and reused by multiple objects. Supertypes can also improve the maintainability and extensibility of a software system by making it easier to modify and update shared behavior.

Inheritance is the mechanism used to implement supertypes in most object-oriented languages. The supertype class is created and defined with common properties and methods. Then, the subtype classes inherit and extend the supertype class, adding their own unique features.

Examples of supertype classes could be a "Vehicle" class that has shared properties and methods with subtypes like "Car," "Truck," and "Motorcycle." Another example could be a "Person" class that has shared properties and methods with subtypes like "Employee," "Customer," and "Supplier."