Polymorphism

Polymorphism allows objects of different classes to respond to the same method call in different ways. In Python, polymorphism is achieved through duck typing - if an object has the required method or attribute, it can be used regardless of its actual class. This is summarized as 'if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck.' Polymorphism enables writing generic code that works with objects of different types as long as they implement the expected interface. Operator overloading is a form of polymorphism where operators like +, -, *, etc., have different behaviors for different types. Special methods (__add__, __sub__, etc.) allow customizing operator behavior for custom classes. Abstract base classes (ABCs) can formalize interfaces using the abc module. Polymorphism makes code more flexible and reusable by reducing dependencies on specific classes and focusing on capabilities instead. It's a powerful concept that enables many design patterns and flexible architectures.