polymorfismeilla

Polymorfismi, in the context of object-oriented programming, refers to the ability of different objects to respond to the same method call in their own unique way. This concept is a cornerstone of object-oriented design, promoting flexibility and extensibility. The word "polymorphism" itself comes from Greek words meaning "many forms."

There are typically two main types of polymorphism: compile-time (or static) polymorphism and run-time (or dynamic) polymorphism. Compile-time polymorphism is achieved through method overloading, where multiple methods in a class share the same name but have different parameter lists. The correct method to call is determined by the compiler at the time the program is compiled.

Run-time polymorphism, on the other hand, is achieved through method overriding and inheritance. A parent class may define a method, and its child classes can provide their own specific implementations of that method. When a method is called on an object, the specific implementation executed is determined at run-time based on the actual type of the object. This allows for a more dynamic and adaptable system where new types of objects can be introduced without modifying existing code that uses the general interface. Polymorphism enables code to be written in a more generic way, treating objects of different classes uniformly through a common interface or base class. This significantly reduces code duplication and makes programs easier to maintain and extend.