Object-Oriented Programming, unit: Polymorphism. Core concepts, terminology, and worked-example cues a college student meets for this unit, building on prior units without repeating them. Front: a term, concept, or short problem cue. Back: the definition, explanation, or answer.
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- What is polymorphism?
- The ability of different object types to be treated through a common interface, with type-specific behavior
- What is compile-time (static) polymorphism?
- Polymorphism resolved during compilation, typically through method overloading
- What is runtime (dynamic) polymorphism?
- Polymorphism resolved during program execution, typically through method overriding
- What is dynamic dispatch?
- The runtime process of determining which overridden method implementation to call
- How does polymorphism improve code flexibility?
- Code can work with objects of different types through a shared interface, without needing to know their specific type
- What is an example of polymorphism using a shared superclass?
- Calling a 'speak' method on different Animal subclasses, each producing different behavior
- What is parametric polymorphism (generics)?
- Writing code that works across multiple data types using type parameters
- What is duck typing?
- A style of polymorphism where an object's suitability is determined by its methods, not its declared type
- What is the benefit of using polymorphism with collections?
- A single collection can hold different subclass objects and be processed uniformly
- What is an interface's role in enabling polymorphism?
- Defining a common contract that multiple unrelated classes can implement differently
- What is upcasting, in the context of polymorphism?
- Treating a subclass object as an instance of its superclass or interface type
- What is downcasting?
- Converting a superclass or interface reference back into its specific subclass type
- Why can downcasting be risky?
- It can fail at runtime if the object is not actually an instance of the target subclass
- What is late binding?
- Deferring the decision of which method implementation to run until runtime
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