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Method selection

This table shows which methods will be selected when called them on a reference.

eat() sleep() meow() dies()
Animal reference to Animal object Animal Animal Not possible as method does not exist in Animal Animal
Cat reference to Cat object Cat Cat Cat Animal
Animal reference to Cat object Cat Cat Not possible as method does not exist in Animal Animal
Cat reference to Animal object. *

* A Cat reference cannot refer to an Animal object.

Animal: eat, sleep, dies.
Cat: eat, sleep, meow.

Notes:

  • The overridden method on the subclass object will be called even if the current reference is that of the parent type.
  • Regarding overridden methods its the object type that determines the method called, not the reference type.

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