Method Overloading And Overriding In Java (With example)

Method overloading and method overriding are both forms of polymorphism in Java, but they solve very different problems and are frequently mixed up by beginners.

Method Overloading

Overloading happens within the same class when multiple methods share the same name but differ in their parameter list (number, type, or order of parameters). It's resolved at compile time, which is why it's also called compile-time polymorphism.

Method Overriding

Overriding happens when a subclass provides its own implementation of a method already defined in its parent class, using the exact same method signature. It's resolved at runtime based on the actual object type, making it runtime polymorphism.

• Overloading: same class, same method name, different parameters, resolved at compile time
• Overriding: parent-child classes, identical method signature, resolved at runtime
• The @Override annotation helps catch mistakes when overriding a method incorrectly