From 63444ed552ea6b973ac44d688f36b9eca6b6e28e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Johannes Loher <johannes.loher@maibornwolff.de>
Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2018 18:24:22 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] add section about classes

---
 hands-on_dlang.md | 63 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 1 file changed, 61 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/hands-on_dlang.md b/hands-on_dlang.md
index 9bd36f3..c06632c 100644
--- a/hands-on_dlang.md
+++ b/hands-on_dlang.md
@@ -217,8 +217,8 @@ type qualifiers:
 
 #### `immutable`
 
-An object declared as `immutable` is enforced by the compiler to never change its
-value.
+An object declared as `immutable` is enforced by the compiler to never change
+its value.
 
 ```D
 immutable int a;
@@ -735,3 +735,62 @@ if ("key1" in map) { // checking if a key is in an associative array
 assert(map.length == 1); // associative arrays provide a .length property
 map.remove("key1"); // remove a key from an associative array
 ```
+
+### Classes
+
+D's `class`es are very similar to Java's `class`es.
+
+Any `class` type implicitely inherits from `Object`.
+
+```D
+class Foo { } // implicitely inherits from Object
+class Bar : Foo { } // Bar inherits from Foo
+```
+
+`class`es are usually instantiated on the GC heap using `new`:
+
+```D
+auto bar = new Bar;
+```
+
+In contrast to `struct`s, `class`es are reference types:
+
+```D
+Bar bar = foo; // bar points to foo
+```
+
+#### Inheritance
+
+If a member function of a base class if overwritten, the `override` keyword must
+be used:
+
+```D
+class Bar: Foo {
+    override void functionFromFoo() {}
+}
+```
+
+Classes can only inherit from a single class
+
+#### Final and abstract member functions
+
+* A function can be marked `final` in a base class to disallow overriding it.
+* A function can be declared as `abstract` to force derived classes to override
+  it.
+* A whole class can be declared as `abstract` to make sure that it isn't
+  instantiated.
+* `super(…)` can be used to explicitly call the base constructor.
+
+#### Checking for identity
+
+The `==` operator compares the content of two class objects. Checking for
+identity is done using the `is` operator. Coparing to `null` is only possible
+with this operator:
+
+```D
+MyClass c;
+if (c == null)  // error
+    /* … */
+if (c is null)  // ok
+    /* … */
+```