Covariant specialization in Java

Covariant specialization is a form of multiple polymorphism supported by some object-oriented programming languages for overriding a method by varying its parameter types. Particularly useful in frameworks that support dynamic behavior, it is a convenient mechanism in a variety of situations. Although Java does not directly support covariant specialization, it is possible to achieve a similar effect without language extensions by employing Java's rich reflection capabilities while preserving runtime type safety and efficiency. It is shown how this can be done in Java, first providing a practical definition of covariant specialization, then describing the technique via sample code. Finally, applications of covariant specialization and issues encountered in implementing and applying the technique are presented.