What is the role and advantages of using polymorphism in object-oriented programming?

Polymorphism in object-oriented programming allows objects of different classes to be processed through a single interface, with each object able to implement behavior in its own way. This increases the flexibility and extensibility of the code.

Advantages:

• Simplification of code by using common interfaces or base classes.
• Easy addition of new object types without modifying existing code.
• Improved support and maintenance through separation of interface and implementation.

Example: if there is a base class Animal with a method makeSound(), different subclasses (Dog, Cat) can implement this method differently. In code, you can work with objects of type Animal without worrying about the specific class.