---
title: "Why can the abstract class not be instantiated?"  
description: "Why can the abstract class not be instantiated?"  
author: "Ashutosh Kumar Verma"  
published: 2021-08-27  
updated: 2023-06-24  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/156720/why-can-the-abstract-class-not-be-instantiated  
category: "c#"  
tags: ["c#"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Why can the abstract class not be instantiated?

Why can the [abstract class](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1430/abstract-class) not be instantiated?

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## Replies

### Reply by Aryan Kumar

An [abstract](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/156718/when-to-use-abstract-classes-in-c-sharp) [class](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/165/generic-class-in-c-sharp) cannot be instantiated because it is not complete. An abstract class can have abstract methods, which are methods that do not have an implementation. This means that the abstract class does not know how to implement the abstract methods.

If an abstract class could be instantiated, then the abstract methods would be called, and the abstract class would not know how to respond. This would cause a runtime error.

Abstract classes are used to provide a common base class for other classes, or to define a set of methods that must be implemented by other classes. They are not intended to be used to create objects.

Here are some of the reasons why an abstract class cannot be instantiated:

- **Abstract methods:** An abstract class can have abstract methods. An abstract method is a method that has no implementation. The implementation of an abstract method must be provided by a subclass. If an abstract class could be instantiated, then the abstract methods would be called, and the abstract class would not know how to respond. This would cause a runtime error.
- **Incomplete design:** An abstract class is often used to represent an incomplete design. The abstract class defines the common features of a class, but it does not define all of the features of the class. The subclasses of the abstract class will implement the missing features. If an abstract class could be instantiated, then the incomplete design would be exposed to the user. This could lead to errors and confusion.
- **Polymorphism:** Abstract classes are often used to achieve polymorphism. Polymorphism means that different objects can respond to the same message in different ways. If an abstract class could be instantiated, then the polymorphism would be lost. This is because all objects of the abstract class would respond to the same message in the same way.

In conclusion, an abstract class cannot be instantiated because it is not complete and it can be used to achieve polymorphism.


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Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/156720/why-can-the-abstract-class-not-be-instantiated

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