What is the difference between an interface and abstract class?

Question

What exactly is the difference between an interface and abstract class?

Answer 1

The comparison of interface vs. abstract class is wrong. There should be two other comparisons instead: 1) interface vs. class and 2) abstract vs. final class.

Interface vs Class

Interface is a contract between two objects. E.g., I'm a Postman and you're a Package to deliver. I expect you to know your delivery address. When someone gives me a Package, it has to know its delivery address:

interface Package {
  String address();
}

Class is a group of objects that obey the contract. E.g., I'm a box from "Box" group and I obey the contract required by the Postman. At the same time I obey other contracts:

class Box implements Package, Property {
  @Override
  String address() {
    return "5th Street, New York, NY";
  }
  @Override
  Human owner() {
    // this method is part of another contract
  }
}

Abstract vs Final

Abstract class is a group of incomplete objects. They can't be used, because they miss some parts. E.g., I'm an abstract GPS-aware box - I know how to check my position on the map:

abstract class GpsBox implements Package {
  @Override
  public abstract String address();
  protected Coordinates whereAmI() {
    // connect to GPS and return my current position
  }
}

This class, if inherited/extended by another class, can be very useful. But by itself - it is useless, since it can't have objects. Abstract classes can be building elements of final classes.

Final class is a group of complete objects, which can be used, but can't be modified. They know exactly how to work and what to do. E.g., I'm a Box that always goes to the address specified during its construction:

final class DirectBox implements Package {
  private final String to;
  public DirectBox(String addr) {
    this.to = addr;
  }
  @Override
  public String address() {
    return this.to;
  }
}

In most languages, like Java or C++, it is possible to have just a class, neither abstract nor final. Such a class can be inherited and can be instantiated. I don't think this is strictly in line with object-oriented paradigm, though.

Again, comparing interfaces with abstract classes is not correct.