CS3007D OOS
Polymorphism, Abstract Classes and
Interfaces
Outline
• INTRODUCTION
• MAJOR CLASSES OF POLYMORPHISM
• ANOTHER CLASSIFICATION
• EXAMPLE BASED ON OVERRIDING REVISITED
• SUMMARY
Polymorphism - Introduction
• Literally means many forms
• Single symbol represent multiple different
meanings
• Same symbol can exhibit different actions
based on the context
• One of the important feature of Object
Oriented Systems
Major classes of Polymorphism
• Overloading (Adhoc Polymorphism)
• Overriding (Inclusion Polymorphism)
• Polymorphism based on Subtyping
(Assignment Polymorphism)
• Parametric Polymorphism
Overloading
• Also termed as Adhoc Polymorphism
• Compile time Polymorphism
• Mainly used as
– Function (method) Overloading
– Operator Overloading
Function or Method Overloading
● Ability to create multiple functions of the same name
with different implementations.
● Overloading allows a programmer to use the same
method name over and over, as long as the signature of
the method is different each time
Eg : public String getRecord(int key)
Signature is Method name + Parameter list
Function overloading - example
public void getCab() public int sum (int a, int b)
{.......} {....}
public int sum (int a, int b, int c)
public void getCab (String cabbieName);
{......}
{.......}
public void getCab (int numberOfPassengers);
{.......}
Constructor overloading - example
public class Count {
int count;
public Count()
{ count = 0; }
public Count (int number)
{ count = number; }
}
Overriding
• Occurs with in the context of parent class- child class
relationship
• Must have the same type signature
• Run time polymorphism
Polymorphism based on Subtyping
• With the support of Subclassing or Inheritance
class Animal {
String speak() { return “Hi”; }}
class Cat extends Animal{
String speak() { return “Meow”; }}
class Dog extend Animal{
String speak() { return “Bow Bow”; }}
Animal obj1 = new Dog();
Animal obj2 = new Cat();
Animal obj3 = new Animal();
Parametric Polymorphism
• Generics
class Node<T>
{
T elem;
Node<T> next;
}
Node<Integer> intObject = new Node<Integer>();
Another Classification
• Based on when the implementation is
selected
• Compile time Polymorphism
• Runtime polymorphism
Overriding and Dynamic Binding
Revisited
Student listStudent [40];
listStudent[0]= new UnderGraduateStudent();
listStudent[1]= new GraduateStudent();
...
Summary
• Polymorphism is the capability for a symbol
to be interpreted in different forms
• Overloading, overriding, Parametric and
Subtyping are different variants of
polymorphism
• Overriding or Polymorphism based on
inheritance is one of the important feature of
OOP
THANK YOU
