What are the best practices for using virtual functions in programming?

What are the best practices for using virtual functions in programming?

When using virtual functions, it's important to ensure proper use of inheritance, avoid unnecessary virtual calls, and manage memory effectively.

Can you explain why avoiding unnecessary virtual calls is important?

Avoiding unnecessary virtual calls can improve performance, as virtual calls introduce overhead due to dynamic dispatch.

What about memory management? How should I handle it with virtual functions?

Always ensure that you have a virtual destructor in base classes to prevent memory leaks when derived objects are deleted.

Are there any specific design patterns that work well with virtual functions?

Yes, patterns like Strategy and Factory often utilize virtual functions to allow for flexible and interchangeable components.