How Does Go Achieve Polymorphism Without Traditional Inheritance?

Polymorphism in Go Lang: Exploring Object-Oriented Concepts

In Go, a programming language known for its simplicity and concurrency, the concept of polymorphism takes a unique form. Polymorphism, a staple in object-oriented programming, allows objects of various classes to be treated as objects of their parent or interface class.

Consider the following scenario in a traditional object-oriented language:

type Foo {
   ...
}

type Bar : Foo {
   ...
}

func getFoo() Foo {
   return Bar{...}
}

In such a scenario, getFoo() is expected to seamlessly return an instance of the Bar class, leveraging polymorphism. However, in Go, this approach results in an error, emphasizing that getFoo() must return an instance of the Foo class.

Go's approach to polymorphism differs slightly. To replicate the functionality described earlier, Go utilizes interfaces and composition:

package main

import "fmt"

type Foo interface {
   printFoo()
}

type FooImpl struct {

}

type Bar struct {
   FooImpl
}

type Bar2 struct {
   FooImpl
}

func (f FooImpl)printFoo(){
    fmt.Println("Print Foo Impl")
}

func getFoo() Foo {
   return Bar{}
}

func main() {
    fmt.Println("Hello, playground")
    b := getFoo()
    b.printFoo()
}

By implementing the Foo interface and composing the FooImpl struct, the Bar type assumes the responsibilities of the Foo interface. Consequently, getFoo() can return an instance of the Bar type, which adheres to the Foo interface.

Through these mechanisms, Go provides a form of polymorphism that, while distinct from traditional object-oriented inheritance, allows for the dynamic treatment of objects based on their interfaces.

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