What is the significance of Java downcasting?

The purpose of Java downcasting is to convert a parent class object into a child class object. It is mainly used to access unique methods and attributes of the child class, as well as override methods from the parent class.

Specifically, when we downcast a parent class object to a child class object, we can then utilize the unique methods and attributes of the child class object, expanding the functionality and flexibility of the program. Additionally, if the child class overrides a method of the parent class, when we call that method after downcasting, the implementation from the child class will be executed rather than the one from the parent class.

It is important to note that downcasting carries risks, as the parent class object may not necessarily be a subclass object. Before performing downcasting, we need to use the instanceof operator to determine if the parent class object is an instance of the subclass in order to avoid ClassCastException errors.