How does Java pick which overloaded function to call?

Question

This is a purely theoretical question.

Given three simple classes:

class Base {
}

class Sub extends Base {
}    

class SubSub extends Sub {
}
         


        

Answer 1

Java binds methods dynamically (in runtime, depending on object instance type, not reference type) but only in context of one method signature. Java binds method signature statically (at compilation time).
In other words, Java makes decision what method (signature) should be called in compile time (statically - reference based - overloading). In runtime Java will take that signature, find proper object in object type hierarchy and execute that method on that dynamically binded object.

Overloading -> what (method signature at compilation time)
Overriding -> from where (object in type hierarchy at runtime)