How does polymorphism improve code flexibility in C++ OOPs?

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Polymorphism plays a crucial role in enhancing code flexibility within object-oriented programming in C++. Let's dive into how it achieves this: ### 1. Allows for Code Reusability: Polymorphism enables you to write more reusable code by creating a class to be used as a base for other classes. This base class can define a common interface for all its derived classes allowing you to treat objects of different derived classes uniformly through pointers or references to the base class. ### 2. Enables Function Overloading and Overriding: Polymorphism allows for function overloading and overriding. Function overloading enables you to have multiple functions with the same name but different parameters within the same scope. Function overriding occurs when a derived class provides a specific implementation of a method defined in a base class. This flexibility is vital for adapting and extending the functionality of the codebase. ### 3. Supports Dynamic Binding: Polymorphism facilitates dynamic binding (or late binding) where the function call is resolved at runtime rather than compile time. This allows the appropriate method implementation to be determined based on the actual object type being referenced. This dynamic behavior is essential for building flexible and extensible systems. ### 4. Promotes a Cleaner and Modular Code Structure: By utilizing polymorphism you can design more modular and cleaner code structures. It encourages separating interfaces from implementation following the principle of abstraction. This separation of concerns simplifies code maintenance and promotes scalability. ### Example Scenario: class Shape { public: virtual void draw() { std::cout draw(); // Output: Drawing a circle. shape = new Square(); shape->draw(); // Output: Drawing a square. delete shape; return 0; } In this example the `Shape` class serves as a base class allowing `Circle` and `Square` classes to implement their specific `draw()` methods. By using polymorphism and dynamic binding we can switch the concrete object type pointed to by `shape` at runtime. ### In conclusion: Polymorphism enhances code flexibility by promoting reusability enabling function overloading and overriding supporting dynamic binding and facilitating a modular code structure. This powerful feature of C++ OOPs is fundamental for building maintainable extensible and scalable software systems.