You want the base class to represent only an interface for its derived classes. That means, you don't want anyone to actually instantiate an object of the parent class. You only want to upcast to it so that its interface may be used. This is accomplished by building that class abstract using the abstract keyword. If anyone tries to build an object of an abstract class, the compiler saves it.

The interface keyword makes this concept of an abstract class a step further by preventing any function or method implementation at all. You can only define a method or function but not give the implementation. The class, which is adding the interface, should give the actual implementation. The interface is a commonly and very useful used aspect in OO design, as it gives the implementation and separation of interface and actives you to:

1. Use similarities among unrelated classes without artificially forcing a class relationship.

2. Define methods that one or more classes are expected to implement.

3.  Reveal an object's programming interface without revealing its basic implementation.

4. Model multilevel interface inheritance in Java, which gives some of the benefits of full on multiple inheritances, a feature that some object-oriented languages support that allow a class to have more than one parented class.