Unlock the Power of Virtual, Final and Override in C++

Virtual, Final and Override in C++

C++ is an object-oriented programming language and virtual, final and override are three of its core concepts. In this article, we’ll take a look at how they work and how they are used in C++.

What Is Virtual?

The virtual keyword is used to specify that a method or function can be overridden in a derived class. It allows a derived class to replace the behavior of a given virtual method in the base class. This means that the same call to a virtual method can produce different results in different classes. The virtual keyword is also used for polymorphism, which is the process of creating objects that have different behavior but share the same interface.

What Is Final?

The final keyword is used to specify that a method or function cannot be overridden in a derived class. This provides an extra layer of protection so that code is not accidentally overridden by a derived class. When a member function is declared as final, it can still be invoked by other methods, but it cannot be overridden by a derived class.

What Is Override?

The override keyword is used to specify that a derived class should replace the behavior of a given virtual function in its base class. This means that the same call to a virtual method will produce the same result in any derived class that overrides it. Overriding a function allows you to customize the behavior of a class without having to modify the original source code.

Conclusion

Virtual, final and override are important concepts in C++ that make it easier to create powerful and flexible object-oriented applications. Understanding these concepts will make it much easier to develop powerful object-oriented applications that can easily be modified and extended as needed.