What is the difference between static and dynamic casting in C++?

What is the difference between static and dynamic casting in C++?

Static casting is checked at compile time, while dynamic casting is checked at runtime. Static casting is faster but less safe.

Can you give me an example of when to use dynamic casting?

Sure! Use dynamic casting when you need to safely downcast a base class pointer to a derived class pointer.

What happens if the cast fails in dynamic casting?

If the cast fails, dynamic_cast returns nullptr for pointers and throws an exception for references.

Is static casting ever unsafe?

Yes, static casting can be unsafe if you cast between incompatible types, leading to undefined behavior.

When should I prefer static casting over dynamic casting?

Prefer static casting when you are sure of the types involved and want better performance without runtime checks.