Go backward to Kinds of Polymorphism Go up to Top Go forward to Ad-hoc Polymorphism

Universal Polymorphism

• Parametric polymorphism:
  • Uniformity achieved by type parameters.
  • Determines argument type for each application of polymorphic function.
  • ML-like type systems.
• Inclusion polymorphism:
  • Object may belong to several types.
  • Types related by inclusion relation.
  • Object-oriented type systems.
• Generic functions:
  • "Same" work is done for arguments of many types.
  • Length function over lists.