Gowtham SB
www.linkedin.com/in/sbgowtham/ Instagram - @dataengineeringtamil
🌀 Python Polymorphism - Complete Guide
✅ What is Polymorphism?
Polymorphism means "many forms". It allows the same method name to
perform different behaviors depending on the object that is calling it.
🔑 Real-Life Analogy
Imagine both your father and mother say "Good morning."
● Father says it formally (strict tone)
● Mother says it softly (warm tone)
Even though the action is same, the behavior is different.
That is exactly what polymorphism is in programming.
💪 Types of Polymorphism in Python
Type Description Python Support?
Method Overriding Child class redefines parent's method ✅ Yes
Method Overloading Same method name with different ❌ Not natively
parameters
Duck Typing Type doesn't matter, behavior does ✅ Yes
📆 Example 1: Method Overriding (Runtime
Polymorphism)
class Animal:
def sound(self):
print("Some generic sound")
Gowtham SB
www.linkedin.com/in/sbgowtham/ Instagram - @dataengineeringtamil
class Dog(Animal):
def sound(self):
print("Bark")
class Cat(Animal):
def sound(self):
print("Meow")
# Polymorphic behavior
for animal in [Dog(), Cat()]:
animal.sound()
Output:
Bark
Meow
✅ Same method name, different behavior based on the object.
🦆 Example 2: Duck Typing (Dynamic Polymorphism)
class Pycharm:
def execute(self):
print("Compiling + Running")
class VSCode:
def execute(self):
print("Running + Linting")
def code(editor):
editor.execute()
code(Pycharm())
code(VSCode())
Python doesn't care about the type of editor. As long as it has an execute()
method, it works!
✅ This is called Duck Typing:
Gowtham SB
www.linkedin.com/in/sbgowtham/ Instagram - @dataengineeringtamil
"If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, treat it like a duck."
❌ What About Method Overloading?
Python does not support method overloading directly:
class Demo:
def show(self, a):
print("One argument")
def show(self, a, b): # This will override the previous method
print("Two arguments")
obj = Demo()
obj.show(1) # Error: missing 1 required positional argument
✅ Workaround: Using *args
class Demo:
def show(self, *args):
if len(args) == 1:
print("One argument")
elif len(args) == 2:
print("Two arguments")
obj = Demo()
obj.show(1)
obj.show(1, 2)
🚀 Benefits of Polymorphism
1. Flexible Code – Functions work with any object with correct method
2. Reusable – Same method name reused across classes
3. Cleaner Design – Encourages abstraction and loose coupling
4. Supports OOP – Fundamental to dynamic typing and late binding
Gowtham SB
www.linkedin.com/in/sbgowtham/ Instagram - @dataengineeringtamil
❓ Common Interview Questions
1. What is polymorphism in Python?
2. What is the difference between overloading and overriding?
3. How does Python handle method overloading?
4. What is duck typing?
5. Can Python achieve compile-time polymorphism?
6. How is polymorphism different from inheritance?
💼 Resume Tip
Project Line Example:
"Designed a plugin-based editor using polymorphism by defining a base Plugin
interface and dynamically loading SyntaxHighlighter, AutoFormatter, and
Linter classes implementing run() differently."
✅ Highlights code flexibility and extensibility.
About the Author
Gowtham SB is a Data Engineering expert, educator, and content creator with a
passion for big data technologies, as well as cloud and Gen AI . With years of
experience in the field, he has worked extensively with cloud platforms, distributed
systems, and data pipelines, helping professionals and aspiring engineers master the
art of data engineering.
Beyond his technical expertise, Gowtham is a renowned mentor and speaker, sharing
his insights through engaging content on YouTube and LinkedIn. He has built one of
the largest Tamil Data Engineering communities, guiding thousands of learners to
excel in their careers.
Gowtham SB
www.linkedin.com/in/sbgowtham/ Instagram - @dataengineeringtamil
Through his deep industry knowledge and hands-on approach, Gowtham continues to
bridge the gap between learning and real-world implementation, empowering
individuals to build scalable, high-performance data solutions.
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