Definition of Overloading

Definition: Overloading allows functions in computer languages such as C++ and C# to have the same name but with different parameters.

For example, rather than have a differently named function to sort each type of array

 Sort_Int( Int Array Type) ;
 Sort_Doubles( Double Array Type) ;
 

Instead use the same name with different parameter types.

 Sort( Int Array Type ) ;
 Sort( Double Array Type ) ;
 

The compiler is able to call the appropriate function depending on the parameter type

Operator Overloading

Similar to function overloading this allows programmers to redefine operators such as +, -, * etc. For example in a class for complex numbers where each number has a real and imaginary part, overloaded operators allow code such as this to work.

 complex c = a + b;
 

So long as + is overloaded for the type complex.

Glossary:

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