sealed. A sealed class cannot be used as the base class for any other class. Consider this code snippet:
using System;public class BankAccount
{
// Withdrawal -- You can withdraw any amount up to the
// balance; return the amount withdrawn
virtual public void Withdraw(decimal withdrawal)
{
Console.WriteLine("invokes BankAccount.Withdraw()");
}
}
public sealed class SavingsAccount : BankAccount
{
override public void Withdraw(decimal withdrawal)
{
Console.WriteLine("invokes SavingsAccount.Withdraw()");
}
}
public class SpecialSaleAccount : SavingsAccount // Oops!
{
override public void Withdraw(decimal withdrawal)
{
Console.WriteLine("invokes SpecialSaleAccount.Withdraw()");
}
}
This snippet generates the following compiler error:
'SpecialSaleAccount' : cannot inherit from sealed class 'SavingsAccount'
You use the sealed keyword to protect your class from the prying methods of a subclass. For example, allowing a programmer to extend a class that implements system security enables someone to create a security back door.
Sealing a class prevents another program, possibly somewhere on the Internet, from using a modified version of your class. The remote program can use the class as is, or not, but it can’t inherit bits and pieces of your class while overriding the rest.