Learn about inheritance and polymorphism from "summary" of C/C++ Programmer's Reference by Herbert Schildt
Inheritance is a key concept in object-oriented programming. It allows one class to inherit the characteristics of another. This promotes code reusability and makes the code more organized. In C++, inheritance is implemented using the colon symbol followed by the access specifier (public, protected, or private) and the name of the base class. When a class inherits from another class, it automatically gains all the member variables and member functions of the base class. This means that the derived class can use these members as if they were its own. In addition, the derived class can also add its own member variables and member functions. Polymorphism is another important concept in object-oriented programming. It allows different classes to be treated as instances of a common base class. This is achieved through function overloading and function overriding. Function overloading is when two or more functions in the same scope have the same name but different parameters. Function overriding is when a derived class provides a specific implementation of a function that is already defined in the base class. Polymorphism is essential for creating flexible and extensible code. It allows for dynamic binding, which means that the correct function is called at runtime based on the type of object being used. This is especially useful in situations where the exact type of an object is not known at compile time. Inheritance and polymorphism work hand in hand to create a powerful programming paradigm. By using these concepts effectively, you can write code that is more modular, flexible, and easy to maintain. They form the foundation of object-oriented programming and are essential for any C++ programmer to understand and master.
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