Polymorphism (computer science)

Not to be confused with Polymorphic code.

In programming language theory and type theory, polymorphism allows a value or variable to have more than one type and allows a given operation to be performed on values of more than one type.

In object-oriented programming, polymorphism is the provision of one interface to entities of different data types. The concept is borrowed from a principle in biology in which an organism or species can have many different forms or stages.

The most commonly recognized major forms of polymorphism are:

  • Ad hoc polymorphism: defines a common interface for an arbitrary set of individually specified types.
  • Parametric polymorphism: does not specify concrete types and instead uses abstract symbols that can substitute for any type.
  • Subtyping (also called subtype polymorphism or inclusion polymorphism): when a name denotes instances of many different classes related by a common superclass.
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