Understanding Static and Dynamic Binding

When we talk about polymorphism in programming, we find some key differences between static binding and dynamic binding. These differences can change how flexible our code is.

Static Binding

• This is sometimes called early binding.
• It happens when we are still writing the code, known as compile-time.
• The computer decides which method to use based on what type of reference it has.
• This can make the program faster, but it isn’t very flexible.
• With static binding, we can’t change or override methods in child classes.

Dynamic Binding

• This is often called late binding.
• It happens while the program is running, known as runtime.
• The method that gets called depends on the actual type of the object, not just the reference type.
• This gives us more flexibility because we can change how methods work in different classes. This is super important for polymorphism.
• For example, imagine we have a class for vehicles, where the move() method works differently for a Car and a Bike. With dynamic binding, we can easily call the right method based on the specific object we are using:

Vehicle v = new Car();
v.move(); // This will run the Car's move method

Conclusion

In the end, dynamic binding is more flexible.

It helps us follow the main ideas of object-oriented programming, which allows objects to work together in a more adaptable way. This makes our code easier to maintain and change over time.

As famous software engineer Barbara Liskov said, “with dynamic binding, you can build systems that can grow and evolve as requirements change.” This idea shows how important flexible software design is!