PHP 5 introduces abstract classes and methods. It is not allowed to create
   an instance of a class that has been defined as abstract.  Any class that
   contains at least one abstract method must also be abstract.  Methods
   defined as abstract simply declare the method's signature they cannot
   define the implementation.
  
   When inheriting from an abstract class, all methods marked abstract in
   the parent's class declaration must be defined by the child; additionally,
   these methods must be defined with the same (or weaker)
   visibillity. For example,
   if the abstract method is defined as protected, the function implementation
   must be defined as either protected or public.
  
| 例子 19-16. Abstract class example | 
<?phpabstract class AbstractClass
 {
 // Force Extending class to define this method
 abstract protected function getValue();
 abstract protected function prefixValue($prefix);
 
 // Common method
 public function printOut() {
 print $this->getValue() . "\n";
 }
 }
 
 class ConcreteClass1 extends AbstractClass
 {
 protected function getValue() {
 return "ConcreteClass1";
 }
 
 public function prefixValue($prefix) {
 return "{$prefix}ConcreteClass1";
 }
 }
 
 class ConcreteClass2 extends AbstractClass
 {
 public function getValue() {
 return "ConcreteClass2";
 }
 
 public function prefixValue($prefix) {
 return "{$prefix}ConcreteClass2";
 }
 }
 
 $class1 = new ConcreteClass1;
 $class1->printOut();
 echo $class1->prefixValue('FOO_') ."\n";
 
 $class2 = new ConcreteClass2;
 $class2->printOut();
 echo $class2->prefixValue('FOO_') ."\n";
 ?>
 | 
 上例将输出: | ConcreteClass1
FOO_ConcreteClass1
ConcreteClass2
FOO_ConcreteClass2 | 
 | 
   Old code that has no user-defined classes or functions named
   'abstract' should run without modifications.