In Python compile-time polymorphism, there is no traditional concept of compile-time polymorphism, as the language is dynamically typed and uses late binding. Compile-time polymorphism, also known as static polymorphism or early binding, is typically associated with statically typed languages where the specific method to be called is determined at compile-time based on the types of arguments.
However, Python provides a form of polymorphism through function overloading. Function overloading allows you to define multiple functions with the same name but different parameters. The appropriate function to be called is determined based on the number, type, and order of the arguments passed to the function at runtime.
Here’s an example to illustrate function overloading in Python:
class MathUtils:
def add(self, x, y):
return x + y
def add(self, x, y, z):
return x + y + z
math_utils = MathUtils()
print(math_utils.add(2, 3)) # Output: TypeError: add() missing 1 required positional argument: 'z'
print(math_utils.add(2, 3, 4)) # Output: 9In the example above, the MathUtils class defines two versions of the add method. The first version accepts two arguments (x and y), while the second version accepts three arguments (x, y, and z). However, Python does not support true function overloading like statically typed languages.
When calling math_utils.add(2, 3), a TypeError is raised because there is no matching add method that accepts only two arguments. Python considers only the last defined method with the same name.
In Python, function overloading is typically achieved by using default arguments or using conditional statements within a single method to handle different parameter combinations.
While Python does not have traditional compile-time polymorphism, it provides dynamic dispatch through runtime polymorphism (method overriding) and the ability to handle different parameter combinations within a single method.
