Mastering Polymorphism in Java: A Comprehensive Guide to Compile-Time and Runtime Polymorphism

source :scientecheasy.com

Introduction:
Java, renowned for its versatility, empowers developers to create flexible and efficient code. Among its key strengths are two crucial concepts: compile-time polymorphism and runtime polymorphism. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve deeper into these concepts, dissecting each term, providing a plethora of code examples, and exploring the nuances that make Java a powerhouse for object-oriented programming.

Compile-Time Polymorphism:
Compile-time polymorphism, often referred to as static polymorphism or method overloading, is a cornerstone of Java development. It occurs when a class has multiple methods with the same name but differing parameter lists. The compiler determines which method to call based on the method signature during compile-time.

To grasp this concept more thoroughly, let’s expand on the previous example of the MathOperations class:

public class MathOperations {
    // Method overloading for integer addition
    public int add(int a, int b) {
        return a + b;
    }

    // Method overloading for double addition
    public double add(double a, double b) {
        return a + b;
    }

    // Method for string concatenation
    public String…