Object-oriented programming (OOP) creates objects from real-world things with polymorphism, allowing variables, functions, and objects to have multiple meanings. This saves time and reduces code waste, making software more flexible and easier to extend. Polymorphism can also be applied to functions, making them more efficient.
In software programming, object-oriented programming (OOP) is a framework that attempts to create objects from real-world things. The theory and practice of polymorphism is strongly encouraged within OOP principles. In general, an object should be created to have basic characteristics and behaviors with the understanding that these will change when it becomes a specific type.
Polymorphism is the ability to have a variable, function or object have more than one meaning within the program. There are multiple architecture projects that demonstrate polymorphism. These blueprints outline how an object will be reused within an application for multiple purposes.
Many programming languages support the use of polymorphism. This process allows for the reuse of business rules and software code in an application. Not all programming languages support full polymorphic behavior, but most support the basic concept. All true OOP languages, including Java®, .net, and C++®, support more advanced approaches and techniques.
A bank account is a good example of a basic object that could support polymorphism. All bank accounts have account numbers, names and a balance. What makes an account unique is the type of account. Some examples of types are savings accounts, checking accounts, or money market accounts. Within the polymorphism, a bank account would be the base object with the more specific accounts using the base bank account characteristics. Each account could then have additional behaviors to support interest rates or withdrawal penalties when reusing information on a bank account.
Using polymorphism theories saves developers time by reducing code waste. It makes your code easier to write and easier for others to understand. It also makes the software extensible, as future types can be added later using the base ancestor object within existing code. In general, applications developed this way are more flexible and easier to extend while requiring less code for future changes
Theories of polymorphism also apply to functions. A function is a piece of software code that performs a specific task. Functions can also be written polymorphically. This approach makes code more flexible because functions can be reused for other business rules within the software.
A good example of polymorphism with a function would be a sort function. This type of function would sort a list of numbers. A polymorphic function could not only sort numbers, it could also sort any kind of object. This makes the function more efficient because it works on more data types.
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