Polymorphism in Programming

Polymorphism

Method Overloading

• Method overloading is a type of polymorphism where multiple methods with the same name can be defined, but with different parameter lists.
• The method to be called is determined by the number and types of parameters passed to it.
• Method overloading allows for more flexibility in programming, as it enables the same method name to be used for different operations.
• Example: print(int x), print(double x), print(string s)

Function Polymorphism

• Function polymorphism is a type of polymorphism where a function can be called with different types of arguments.
• The function can behave differently depending on the type of argument passed to it.
• Function polymorphism is achieved through function overloading or generic functions.
• Example: sort() function in Python, which can sort lists, tuples, or other iterable objects.

Parametric Polymorphism

• Parametric polymorphism is a type of polymorphism where a function or method can work with different data types, without explicit type casting.
• It is achieved through the use of type parameters, which are placeholders for specific types.
• Example: swap<T>(T x, T y) function in C++, which can swap values of any type T.

Operator Overloading

• Operator overloading is a type of polymorphism where operators such as +, -, *, etc. can be redefined for user-defined types.
• Operator overloading allows for more intuitive and natural-looking code, as it enables the use of operators on objects of custom classes.
• Example: Vector class in C++, which overloads the + operator to perform vector addition.