Demystifying C++: Virtual Classes (Polymorphism)
emmtrix Tech Posts
Category: Demystifying C++
📢 Next in Our “Demystifying C++” Series: “Virtual Classes”
Following our initial exploration into “Classes”, we now turn our attention to a pivotal concept in object-oriented programming: “Virtual Classes”.
🔍 Understanding Polymorphism:
Polymorphism allows for a unified treatment of different objects, typically through a shared interface. While C++ facilitates this with its class syntax, inheritance and virtual methods, achieving similar functionality in C demands a more intricate approach. Our article delves into the methods used to emulate polymorphism in C, utilizing structures, function pointers, and virtual tables.
🔍 Key Insights:
- The significance of __vptr in base classes
- The process of virtual method calls and the challenges associated with them
- The introduction of the ‘final’ keyword in C++11 and its implications for devirtualization
- The underlying operations of the dynamic_cast operator.
🔗 For a detailed analysis, read our latest article: Virtual Classes in Demystifying C++.
Join us in further exploring C++ intricacies and their C representation.