Polymorphism is an important idea in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP).

It lets methods behave differently depending on the object they’re acting on. This makes the code more flexible and reusable.

You can find polymorphism in many programming languages, with each one having its own way of doing things. However, they all keep the main idea of polymorphism.

There are two main types of polymorphism:

1. Compile-time Polymorphism:

   • This happens when methods are overloaded or operators are overloaded.
   • For example, in languages like Java and C++, you can have one method name that works in different ways.
   • The difference might be the types or the number of inputs.
   • The computer figures this out before the program runs.

2. Run-time Polymorphism:

   • This is done through method overriding, which usually involves inheritance.
   • In languages like Python and Java, a subclass can change a method that was already set up in its parent class.
   • Which version of the method runs is decided while the program is running based on the object being used.
   • This allows for more flexible behavior.

Many popular programming languages like Java, C++, Python, and C# support polymorphism, but they each have their own ways to do it. For example, Java uses interfaces and abstract classes a lot for polymorphism, while Python uses its ability to adapt types to allow for more natural polymorphic behavior.

In short, polymorphism is not only a useful principle in OOP but also works across different programming languages, making it a key feature in many coding styles.