Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The diamond problem refers to an issue that arises in multiple inheritance when two superclasses share a common superclass, resulting in ambiguity for subclasses on which superclass's method to use.
Related terms
Multiple Inheritance: Multiple inheritance is when a subclass inherits characteristics and behaviors from more than one superclass.
Superclass/Subclass Relationship: The relationship between classes where one class (subclass) inherits properties and behaviors from another (superclass).
Method Overriding: Method overriding occurs when a subclass provides its own implementation for a method that is already defined in its superclass.