title: AbstractList and List in java
body: <p>I know that in Java most people declare a list using:</p>
  
  <pre><code>List l = new ArrayList();
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But what would be the difference between that and</p>
  
  <pre><code>AbstractList l = new ArrayList();
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>What are the advantages of using an interface over an abstract class in this particular instance?</p>