Why Can\'t Functions Be Overloaded Based Solely on Return Type in Java and C ?

Overloading Functions Based on Return Type in Java and C

Question:

Why is it not feasible to overload a function solely based on a change in return type in Java or C ? Will this functionality be available in future Java versions?

Answer:

Java

Overloading functions based solely on return type is not possible in Java or C . The reasoning behind this is that the return value alone does not provide enough information for the compiler to determine which function to invoke. For example:

<code class="java">public int foo() {...}
public float foo() {..}

...
foo(); // which one?</code>

C

Similarly, in C , it is not possible to overload functions using only the return type. This constraint ensures that the compiler can unambiguously identify the intended function during the compilation process.

This restriction helps prevent ambiguity and potential errors in code, as the compiler can rely on a consistent set of rules for function overloading.

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