What are some use cases for virtual functions in C++?

What are some use cases for virtual functions in C++?

Virtual functions in C++ are used for achieving polymorphism. They allow derived classes to override methods of a base class, enabling dynamic method resolution.

Can you give me an example of how virtual functions are used in a real-world application?

Sure! In a graphics application, you might have a base class called 'Shape' with a virtual function 'draw()'. Different shapes like 'Circle' and 'Square' can override 'draw()' to implement their specific drawing logic.

What are the advantages of using virtual functions?

The main advantages include flexibility in code, the ability to use a single interface for different data types, and easier maintenance and scalability of code.

Are there any performance drawbacks to using virtual functions?

Yes, there can be a slight performance overhead due to dynamic dispatch and additional memory usage for the vtable. However, this is often negligible compared to the benefits of polymorphism.