What is the difference between dynamic polymorphism and static polymorphism in Java?

In Java, polymorphism is divided into dynamic polymorphism and static polymorphism.

Dynamic polymorphism refers to determining which method to call during runtime based on the actual type of the object. Specifically, when a parent class reference points to a subclass object, the method called through the parent class reference will be based on the actual type of the subclass. This type of polymorphism is implemented through Java’s inheritance mechanism and virtual method table.

Static polymorphism refers to determining the method being called based on the type of declaration during compilation. Specifically, when a parent class reference points to a subclass object, the method called through the parent class reference will be determined based on the parent class’s declaration type. This polymorphism is achieved through Java’s method overloading mechanism.

Therefore, dynamic polymorphism determines the method call at runtime, while static polymorphism determines the method call at compile-time. Dynamic polymorphism is achieved through inheritance and overriding, while static polymorphism is achieved through method overloading.