Mastering Java: The Ultimate Quiz for 'Thinking in Java'

What is a limitation of early binding in program execution?

1. It cannot be used in compiled languages

2. It makes code easier to debug

3. It requires all object types to be declared at runtime

4. It requires the compiler to know the exact type of object at compile time

The correct answer is: It requires the compiler to know the exact type of object at compile time

Early binding is the technique of linking program components at compile time, allowing the compiler to know the exact type of objects involved. This can make the code run more efficiently as the compiler can optimize the code knowing exactly what types are involved. However, a limitation of early binding is that it requires the compiler to know the exact type of object at compile time. This can be a problem if the type of object is not known until runtime, as it may not be able to link to the correct object at compile time. This limitation is not present in languages that use late binding, as the binding is only determined at runtime. Options A, B, and C are incorrect because early binding can be used in compiled languages, it does not necessarily make code easier to debug, and it does not require all object types to be declared at runtime.