Ad hoc polymorphism

<p>In <a href="/facts/Programming_languages/cWTYbgWa">programming languages</a>, ad hoc polymorphism is a kind of <a href="/facts/Polymorphism_(computer_science)/S3cCKsVT">polymorphism</a> in which polymorphic functions can be applied to arguments of different types, because a polymorphic function can denote a number of distinct and potentially heterogeneous implementations depending on the type of argument(s) to which it is applied. When applied to <a href="/facts/Object-oriented/TxNMEcao">object-oriented</a> or procedural concepts, it is also known as <a href="/facts/Function_overloading/wL27p4rD">function overloading</a> or <a href="/facts/Operator_overloading/hRyHs4Qf">operator overloading</a>. The term <a href="/facts/Ad_hoc/IYxx5Ha8">ad hoc</a> in this context is not intended to be pejorative; it refers simply to the fact that this type of polymorphism is not a fundamental feature of the <a href="/facts/Type_system/Tz0bAMS9">type system</a>. This is in contrast to <a href="/facts/Parametric_polymorphism/ETb0G1zd">parametric polymorphism</a>, in which polymorphic functions are written without mention of any specific type, and can thus apply a single abstract implementation to any number of types in a transparent way. This classification was introduced by <a href="/facts/Christopher_Strachey/hx9ToYVY">Christopher Strachey</a> in 1967.
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Ad hoc polymorphism open-in-new

Ad hoc polymorphism