Editing Multiple dispatch (section)

{{Short description|Feature of some programming languages}}
{{Polymorphism}}
'''Multiple dispatch''' or '''multimethods''' is a feature of some [[programming language]]s in which a [[Subroutine|function]] or [[Method (computer programming)|method]] can be [[dynamic dispatch|dynamically dispatched]] based on the [[run time (program lifecycle phase)|run-time]] (dynamic) type or, in the more general case, some other attribute of more than one of its [[Parameter (computer programming)|arguments]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dd7nyto72sUC&q=%22multiple+dispatch+languages%2C+more+than+one+polymorphic+arguments%22&pg=PA260 |title=Contemporary Computing: Second International Conference, IC3 2010, Noida, India, August 9–11, 2010. Proceedings |last1=Ranka |first1=Sanjay |last2=Banerjee |first2=Arunava |last3=Biswas |first3=Kanad Kishore |last4=Dua |first4=Sumeet |last5=Mishra |first5=Prabhat |last6=Moona |first6=Rajat |publisher=Springer |date=2010-07-26 |isbn=9783642148248}}</ref> This is a generalization of [[single-dispatch]] [[polymorphism in object-oriented programming|polymorphism]] where a function or method call is dynamically dispatched based on the derived type of the object on which the method has been called. Multiple dispatch routes the dynamic dispatch to the implementing function or method using the combined characteristics of one or more arguments.