Polymorphism (computer science): Difference between revisions

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{{Distinguish|Polymorphic code}}

{{Polymorphism}}

In [[programming language theory]] and [[type theory]], '''polymorphism''' is the useapproach ofthat oneallows symbola tovalue representtype to multipleassume different types.<ref name="Luca">{{Cite journal |last1=Cardelli |first1=Luca |author1-link=Luca Cardelli |last2=Wegner |first2=Peter |author2-link=Peter Wegner (computer scientist)|doi=10.1145/6041.6042 |title=On understanding types, data abstraction, and polymorphism |journal=[[ACM Computing Surveys]] |volume=17 |issue=4 |pages=471–523 |date=December 1985 |url=http://lucacardelli.name/Papers/OnUnderstanding.A4.pdf |citeseerx=10.1.1.117.695 |s2cid=2921816}}: "Polymorphic types are types whose operations are applicable to values of more than one type."</ref>

In [[object-oriented programming]], polymorphism is the provision of one [[Interface (object-oriented programming)|interface]] to entities of different [[data type]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stroustrup.com/glossary.html#Gpolymorphism |last1=Stroustrup |first1=Bjarne |author1-link=Bjarne Stroustrup |title=Bjarne Stroustrup's C++ Glossary |date=February 19, 2007 |quote=polymorphism – providing a single interface to entities of different types.}}</ref> The concept is borrowed from a principle in [[biology]] where an organism or species can have many different forms or stages.<ref name="Moved">{{cite web |title=Polymorphism |work=The Java Tutorials: Learning the Java Language: Interfaces and Inheritance |publisher=Oracle |url=https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/IandI/polymorphism.html |access-date=2021-09-08}}</ref>

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class AdHocPolymorphic {

public String add(int x, int y) {

return String.format("Sum: %d", + (x + y);

}

public String add(String name) {

return String.format("Added " +, name);

}

}

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AdHocPolymorphic poly = new AdHocPolymorphic();

System.out.println(poly.add(1, 2)); // prints "Sum: 3"

System.out.println(poly.add("Jay")); // prints "Added Jay"

}