Behavior of virtual function in the derived class from the base class and abstract class
In this article, we will discuss the behavior of Virtual Function in the derived class and derived class from the Abstract Base Class in C++.
Consider the following program:
C++
// C++ program to illustrate the concept // of Virtual Function #include <bits/stdc++.h> using namespace std; // Base Class class Base { public : // Virtual Function virtual void print() { cout << "Inside Base" << endl; } }; // Derived Class class Derived : public Base { }; // Driver Code int main() { // Object of the derived class Base* b2 = new Derived(); // Function Call to Base Class b2->print(); return 0; } |
Inside Base
Explanation: When a pointer of the Base Class is declared pointing to an object of the Derived Class, then only declare the function as virtual in the base when it is needed to override it in the derived class. If the function is declared as a virtual in the Base Class, then it is not recommended to override it in the derived class, it will still call the virtual function and execute it.
The virtual keyword only works when going for runtime polymorphism and overriding the function of the base class in the derived class. If a virtual keyword is used, and it is not recommended to override that function in the derived class, then the virtual keyword is of no use. This property doesn’t hold true for the Abstract Base class because there is no function body in the Base class as well. Below is the program to illustrate the same:
Program 1:
C++
// C++ program to illustrate the concept // of virtual function #include <bits/stdc++.h> using namespace std; // Base Class class Base { public : // Virtual Function virtual void print() = 0; }; // Derived Class class Derived : public Base { // Overriding of virtual function void print() { cout << "Inside Derived" << endl; } }; // Driver Code int main() { // Object of the derived class Base* b2 = new Derived(); // Function Call to Base Class b2->print(); return 0; } |
Inside Derived
Program 2:
C++
// C++ program to illustrate the concept // of virtual function #include <bits/stdc++.h> using namespace std; // Base Class class Base { public : // Virtual Function virtual void print() = 0; }; // Derived Class class Derived : public Base { }; // Driver Code int main() { // Object of the derived class Base* b2 = new Derived(); // Function Call to Base Class b2->print(); return 0; } |
Output:
Explanation: If the above two programs are compared, when the function is overridden of the abstract class, then the virtual keyword is working the way it has been intended to work. But in the above program, the function wasn’t overridden inside the Base Class, and also the function was not defined in the Base Class, result in the Compilation Error.