What is Polymorphism in Java A Comprehensive Guide

 What is Polymorphism in Java A Comprehensive Guide

Polymorphism, one of the fundamentals of object-oriented programming (OOP), is a crucial idea that each Java developer needs to understand. We'll go through the fundamentals of polymorphism in Java, its varieties, benefits, and recommended practises in this post. You'll have a firm understanding of polymorphism by the end of this manual and be able to produce smarter, more effective Java code.

What is Polymorphism in Java?

The capacity of an object to assume various forms is known as polymorphism. It is possible to treat objects in Java as though they are of different kinds. Because polymorphism enables you to establish a broad interface that can be implemented by numerous classes in various ways, it enables you to write flexible and extendable code. This implies that an object's behaviour can vary based on the situation in which it is employed.

Types of Polymorphism in Java

There are two types of polymorphism in Java: compile-time polymorphism and runtime polymorphism.

1. Compile-time Polymorphism:

Overloading of methods is another name for compile-time polymorphism. It happens when a class contains many methods with the same name but distinct inputs. The quantity and type of parameters given influence which method the compiler will call. You can build methods with the same name that carry out related functions but with various input arguments thanks to method overloading.

2. Runtime Polymorphism:

Method overriding is another name for runtime polymorphism. When a method that is already specified in a superclass is specifically implemented by a subclass. The name, return type, and parameters of the method in the subclass must match those of the method in the superclass. The JVM chooses which implementation to call when the method is invoked on a subclass object based on the runtime type of the object.