In Java, what is the difference between method overriding and method overloading in terms of signature, class relationship, and runtime behavior?

Introduction / Context:
Method overriding and method overloading are two fundamental but distinct concepts in Java. Interviewers often ask for the difference because it tests whether you understand inheritance, polymorphism, and compile time versus runtime behavior. Confusing these concepts can lead to subtle bugs and incorrect assumptions about which method will execute.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We have methods that may share the same name.
• There may be superclass and subclass relationships.
• Method signatures include name and parameter types.
• Return types, access modifiers, and exceptions may also vary under certain rules.

Concept / Approach:
Method overriding occurs when a subclass provides a new implementation for a method that it inherits from a superclass. The overriding method has the same name and parameter list as the original method, and it participates in runtime polymorphism. Method overloading occurs when multiple methods in the same class (or a class and its superclass) share the same name but have different parameter lists. Overloading is a compile time concept, and the compiler selects which overloaded method to call based on the argument types.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Overriding: a superclass defines void draw(Shape s). A subclass such as CircleRenderer extends the superclass and defines its own void draw(Shape s), providing specialized behavior. 2. When you call draw() on a reference of the superclass type that actually refers to a subclass object, the subclass version executes at runtime based on dynamic binding. 3. Overloading: a class defines multiple draw() methods such as draw(Shape s), draw(String name), and draw(Shape s, int size). 4. When you call draw() with specific arguments, the compiler chooses the most appropriate overloaded method purely based on compile time types of the arguments. 5. Overriding supports polymorphism and behavior substitution, while overloading supports convenience and readability by allowing the same method name for similar operations with different parameters.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify overriding behavior by using a superclass reference that points to a subclass instance and calling the overridden method; the subclass implementation runs. To verify overloading, you can create several draw() methods with different parameter types and see which one is chosen when you pass different argument combinations. The choice is fixed after compilation in the overloading case.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B reverses the roles; overriding does not use different method names, and overloading does not require identical signatures. Option C is wrong because overriding cannot be done with static methods (those are hidden, not overridden), and overloading can apply to both static and instance methods. Option D is clearly incorrect because overriding and overloading serve different purposes and behave differently at compile time and runtime.

Common Pitfalls:
Developers sometimes think they are overriding a method when they are actually overloading it by accidentally changing the parameter list. This can cause the base implementation to run unexpectedly. Another pitfall is forgetting to use the @Override annotation, which helps catch such mistakes. Knowing the precise differences helps you design APIs that behave predictably and are easier to extend.

Final Answer:
Overriding occurs in subclasses with the same signature to provide a new implementation, while overloading occurs in the same class with the same name but different parameter lists.