How does polymorphism contribute to code reusability?

Polymorphism promotes code reusability by allowing objects of different types to be treated as objects of a common type.

Polymorphism is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming (OOP) that allows objects of different types to be treated as objects of a common type. This is achieved through the use of inheritance and interfaces, which define a common set of behaviours that each type of object can perform. This means that a single piece of code can work with objects of different types, as long as they implement the required behaviours.

For example, consider a program that performs operations on a list of shapes. Without polymorphism, you would need to write separate code to handle each type of shape (e.g., circles, squares, triangles). However, with polymorphism, you can define a common interface (e.g., 'Shape') that specifies the operations that can be performed on a shape (e.g., calculate area, draw). Then, each type of shape can implement this interface in its own way. This allows you to write a single piece of code that works with any type of shape, as long as it implements the 'Shape' interface.

This greatly enhances code reusability, as the same code can be used with different types of objects. It also makes the code more flexible and easier to maintain, as changes to one type of object do not affect the code that uses it. Furthermore, it promotes encapsulation and abstraction, as the details of how each type of object performs its operations are hidden behind the common interface.

In addition, polymorphism can also contribute to code reusability through the use of polymorphic functions and methods. These are functions and methods that can operate on objects of different types, depending on the type of the object at runtime. This allows you to write more generic and reusable code, as the same function or method can be used with different types of objects.

In conclusion, polymorphism is a powerful tool in OOP that greatly contributes to code reusability. By allowing objects of different types to be treated as objects of a common type, it enables you to write more flexible, maintainable, and reusable code.