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What is the Difference between function overloading and function overriding?
- July 25, 2024
- Posted by: Riddhi Dhandha
- Category: C++ Programming Langauge at TCCI Programming Language Course Web Development at TCCI
The differences between function overloading and function overriding are fundamental to understanding how methods are managed in object-oriented programming. Here’s a detailed comparison:
### Function Overloading
- **Definition**: Function overloading allows multiple functions with the same name but different parameter lists (types or numbers of parameters) to coexist in the same scope.
- **Purpose**: It enables defining multiple methods with the same name but different signatures, making it easier to perform similar operations with different types or numbers of inputs.
- **Scope**: Overloading occurs within the same class. The overloaded functions must have different parameter lists, but they can have the same or different return types.
- **Resolution**: The compiler determines which function to call based on the number and types of arguments at compile time (compile-time polymorphism).
- **Example**:
“`cpp
class Math {
public:
int add(int a, int b) {
return a + b;
}
double add(double a, double b) {
return a + b;
}
};
“`
### Function Overriding
- **Definition**: Function overriding occurs when a subclass provides a specific implementation of a method that is already defined in its superclass. The overridden method in the subclass must have the same name, return type, and parameter list as the method in the superclass.
- **Purpose**: It allows a subclass to modify or extend the behavior of a method inherited from the superclass, enabling runtime polymorphism and customized behavior.
- **Scope**: Overriding occurs between a base (superclass) and derived (subclass) class. The method in the subclass must match the signature of the method in the superclass.
- **Resolution**: The method to be invoked is determined at runtime based on the object type (runtime polymorphism). This allows different objects to invoke different versions of the method based on their actual class.
- **Example**:
“`cpp
class Animal {
public:
virtual void speak() {
std::cout << “Animal speaks” << std::endl;
}
};
class Dog : public Animal {
public:
void speak() override {
std::cout << “Dog barks” << std::endl;
}
};
“`
### Summary of Key Differences
– **Purpose**:
– **Overloading**: Provides multiple methods with the same name but different parameters in the same class.
– **Overriding**: Customizes or extends the behavior of a method inherited from a superclass in a subclass.
– **Scope**:
– **Overloading**: Within the same class.
– **Overriding**: Between a superclass and a subclass.
– **Resolution**:
– **Overloading**: Resolved at compile time based on function signatures.
– **Overriding**: Resolved at runtime based on the actual object type.
Understanding these concepts helps in designing more flexible and maintainable object-oriented systems.
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