Java: design interface to force implementations to override toString
inheritance, java, overriding, tostring
Solution
No, you can't do this. I'd suggest you choose a different method name, e.g.
public interface Reportable
{
String createReport();
}
That will force implementations to write an appropriate method. `toString()` is already somewhat vague in its intention - whether it's for debug representations, user-visible representations (at which point you need to ask yourself about locales etc). Adding another meaning doesn't seem like a good idea to me.
Problem
I'm developing an SPI and would like to define a `Reportable` interface such that any implementations must override `toString()` to something that is meaningful. Is there any way in Java to write an interface such that any of its concrete implementations must override Object's `toString()`? For instance: ``` public interface Reportable { public String toString(); } public class Widget implements Fizz, Buzz, Reportable { // ... @Override public String toString() { // ... } } ``` I know the above code doesn't force this kind of behavior, but is an example of what I'm looking for, i.e. if `Widget` doesn't override `toString()` you get a compile error because its violating the interface contract.