Overloading and overriding

Overloading

Overloading is when you have multiple methods in the same scope, with the same name but different signatures.

//Overloading
public class test
{
    public void getStuff(int id)
    {}
    public void getStuff(string name)
    {}
}

Overriding

Overriding is a principle that allows you to change the functionality of a method in a child class.

//Overriding
public class test
{
        public virtual void getStuff(int id)
        {
            //Get stuff default location
        }
}

public class test2 : test
{
        public override void getStuff(int id)
        {
            //base.getStuff(id);
            //or - Get stuff new location
        }
}

• Overloading = Multiple method signatures, same method name
• Overriding = Same method signature (declared virtual), implemented in sub classes

An astute interviewer would have followed up with:

What's the difference between overriding and shadowing?

As Michael said:

• Overloading = Multiple method signatures, same method name
• Overriding = Same method signature (declared virtual), implemented in sub classes

and

• Shadowing = If treated as DerivedClass it used derived method, if as BaseClass it uses base method.

shadowing = maintains two definitions at derived class and in order to project the base class definition it shadowes(hides)derived class definition and vice versa.