Polymorphism allows Java objects to be treated as instances of their parent class rather than their actual class, enabling flexibility and dynamic behavior.
It primarily manifests in two ways: method overloading (compile-time polymorphism) and method overriding (runtime polymorphism), both critical for designing scalable and maintainable applications.
Polymorphism means "many forms" and allows methods to perform different tasks based on the input or the object calling them.
Polymorphism promotes code reusability, flexibility, and the ability to implement elegant object-oriented designs.
A beginner-friendly explanation of polymorphism in Java with examples.
class Calculator {
int add(int a, int b) {
return a + b;
}
int add(int a, int b, int c) {
return a + b + c;
}
double add(double a, double b) {
return a + b;
}
}
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Calculator calc = new Calculator();
System.out.println(calc.add(5, 10)); // 15
System.out.println(calc.add(5, 10, 15)); // 30
System.out.println(calc.add(5.5, 10.5)); // 16.0
}
}
class Animal {
void sound() {
System.out.println("Animal makes a sound");
}
}
class Dog extends Animal {
@Override
void sound() {
System.out.println("Dog barks");
}
}
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Animal myAnimal = new Dog();
myAnimal.sound(); // Output: Dog barks
}
}
Polymorphism enables writing code that works with objects of different classes through a common interface.
Used in frameworks to allow methods to behave differently based on subclass implementations.
Supports dynamic method dispatch, allowing method calls to be resolved at runtime for flexible behavior.
Polymorphism is the ability of a method to perform different tasks based on the object or input, typically through method overloading and overriding.
Method overloading occurs within the same class with different parameters, while method overriding happens in a subclass redefining a superclass method with the same signature.
No, static methods belong to the class, and cannot be overridden. They can be hidden but not overridden.