JNTU B.Tech III OBJECT ORIENTED PROGRAMMING THROUGH JAVA Previous Question Paper (November/December - 2020 - R15)

Method Overloading occurs when multiple methods in the same class share the same name but have different parameter lists (different number, type, or order of arguments). It is a form of compile-time polymorphism, as the compiler determines which method to invoke based on the method signature at compile time. It improves code readability and allows methods to perform similar tasks with different input types.

Method Overriding occurs when a subclass provides a specific implementation for a method that is already defined in its superclass. The method signature must be identical. It is a form of run-time polymorphism (dynamic method dispatch), where the JVM determines which method to execute based on the actual object type at runtime. It is a fundamental aspect of inheritance, allowing for specialized behavior in subclasses.

Garbage Collection is the automatic process by which the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) manages memory by reclaiming memory occupied by objects that are no longer reachable by the application. This eliminates the need for manual memory deallocation, reducing memory leaks and dangling pointer issues. The garbage collector identifies unreachable objects—those that no longer have any active references—and marks them for deletion.

The finalize() method is a protected method defined in the Object class that the garbage collector calls on an object before reclaiming its memory. It is intended for performing cleanup tasks, such as closing file handles or releasing native resources. However, relying on finalize() is discouraged because it is not guaranteed to be called promptly, and its execution timing is non-deterministic. Modern Java development prefers using try-with-resources blocks or the AutoCloseable interface for resource management instead.