# Explicit and Abstract Interfaces

An explicit interface defines characteristics for external or dummy procedures. It can also be used to define a generic name for procedures, a new operator for functions, and a new form of assignment for subroutines. For more information, see INTERFACE.

An abstract interface defines a subprogram whose name can be used in a PROCEDURE declaration statement to declare subprograms with identical arguments and characteristics. For more information, see ABSTRACT INTERFACE and PROCEDURE.

Parent topic: Procedure Interfaces