diamond problem

Meaning

Noun

• The ambiguity that arises when two classes B and C inherit from A, and a further class D inherits from both B and C, so that if there is a method in A that B and/or C has overridden, and D does not override it, it is unclear which version of the method D should inherit.

Related

Similar words

• deadly diamond of death
• dreaded diamond

Origin

• So called because a diagram of the classes has a diamond (quadrilateral) shape.