polymorfist

Polymorphism is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming that allows objects of different classes to be treated as objects of a common superclass. A "polymorfist," in this context, refers to a programming entity, such as a function, method, or variable, that can operate on objects of multiple types. This ability to handle different types through a single interface is the essence of polymorphism.

There are generally two main types of polymorphism: compile-time polymorphism and runtime polymorphism. Compile-time polymorphism, also known as static polymorphism, is resolved during the compilation phase. Examples include function overloading, where multiple functions share the same name but have different parameter lists, and operator overloading, which allows operators to be redefined for custom data types. The compiler determines which function or operator to call based on the arguments provided.

Runtime polymorphism, also known as dynamic polymorphism or subtype polymorphism, is resolved during the execution of the program. This is typically achieved through inheritance and virtual functions or methods. A base class pointer or reference can point to objects of derived classes. When a method is called through this pointer or reference, the actual method executed is determined at runtime based on the object's actual type. This enables flexible and extensible code design, allowing for new types to be added without modifying existing code that uses the polymorphic entity. The "polymorfist" entity adapts its behavior based on the specific type of object it is interacting with at that moment.