Can an AngularJS controller inherit from another controller in the same module?

Question

Yes, it can but you have to use the $controller service to instantiate the controller instead:-

var app = angular.module('angularjs-starter', []);

app.controller('ParentCtrl', function($scope) {
  // I'm the sibling, but want to act as parent
});

app.controller('ChildCtrl', function($scope, $controller) {
  $controller('ParentCtrl', {$scope: $scope}); //This works
});

In case you are using vm controller syntax, here is my solution:

.controller("BaseGenericCtrl", function ($scope) {

    var vm = this;
    vm.reload = reload;
    vm.items = [];

    function reload() {
        // this function will come from child controller scope - RESTDataService.getItemsA
        this.getItems();
    }
})

.controller("ChildCtrl", function ($scope, $controller, RESTDataService) {
    var vm = this;
    vm.getItems = RESTDataService.getItemsA;
    angular.extend(vm, $controller('BaseGenericCtrl', {$scope: $scope}));
})

Unfortunately, you can't use $controller.call(vm, 'BaseGenericCtrl'...), to pass current context into closure (for reload()) function, hence only one solution is to use this inside inherited function in order to dynamically change context.

I think,you should use factory or service,to give accessible functions or data for both controllers.

here is similar question ---> AngularJS controller inheritance

In response to the issue raised in this answer by gmontague, I have found a method to inherit a controller using $controller(), and still use the controller "as" syntax.

Firstly, use "as" syntax when you inherit calling $controller():

    app.controller('ParentCtrl', function(etc...) {
        this.foo = 'bar';
    });
    app.controller('ChildCtrl', function($scope, $controller, etc...) {
        var ctrl = $controller('ParentCtrl as parent', {etc: etc, ...});
        angular.extend(this, ctrl);

    });

Then, in HTML template, if the property is defined by parent, then use parent. to retrieve properties inherited from parent; if defined by child, then use child. to retrieve it.

    <div ng-controller="ChildCtrl as child">{{ parent.foo }}</div>

Well, I did this in another way. In my case I wanted a function that apply the same functions and properties in other controllers. I liked it, except by parameters. In this way, all yours ChildCtrls need to receive $location.

var app = angular.module('angularjs-starter', []);

function BaseCtrl ($scope, $location) {
    $scope.myProp = 'Foo';
    $scope.myMethod = function bar(){ /* do magic */ };
}

app.controller('ChildCtrl', function($scope, $location) {
    BaseCtrl.call(this, $scope, $location);

    // it works
    $scope.myMethod();
});