What's the Difference Between Polymorphism, Overriding, and Overloading in Java?

Polymorphism, Overriding, and Overloading: Distinguishing Concepts

When discussing Java, polymorphism plays a crucial role, yet it can be challenging to differentiate it from overloading and overriding. Let's explore each concept individually:

Polymorphism

Polymorphism allows objects of different subclasses to respond to the same method call in unique ways, based on their specific implementation. The key to achieving polymorphism lies in defining an abstract base class or interface that declares methods without providing their implementation. This deferral of implementation allows subclasses to provide distinct implementations of these methods, customizing them for their specific purpose.

Overriding

Overriding refers to the redefinition of a method in a subclass that has the same signature (same name and parameters) as a method in its superclass. However, the implementation of the overridden method is modified or replaced entirely to suit the specific needs of the subclass. Overriding is commonly used to extend or alter the behavior of methods inherited from a parent class.

Overloading

Overloading, on the other hand, involves defining multiple methods in a class with the same name, but different signatures. This distinction is crucial because overloaded methods are distinguished based on the number and types of their parameters. Overloaded methods allow for flexibility in method selection, providing appropriate implementations for various scenarios.

Answering the Question

In response to the posed question of whether overloading or overriding would constitute an acceptable answer when defining polymorphism in Java, neither of these concepts fully captures the essence of polymorphism. Polymorphism requires the use of an abstract base class or interface to define methods that are implemented differently in subclasses. Therefore, the correct answer to this question is that polymorphism is most effectively expressed through the use of an abstract base class.

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