What are the best practices for composition in C++?

What are the best practices for composition in C++?

Composition in C++ is a design principle where a class is composed of one or more objects from other classes. Best practices include using private members for encapsulation, favoring composition over inheritance, and ensuring that composed objects have clear ownership.

Can you explain why composition is preferred over inheritance?

Composition is often preferred because it promotes flexibility and reusability. It allows you to change the behavior of a class at runtime by composing it with different objects, whereas inheritance creates a tight coupling between the base and derived classes.

What are some common pitfalls to avoid when using composition?

Common pitfalls include creating overly complex relationships between objects, failing to manage object lifetimes properly, and not clearly defining the responsibilities of each composed object.

How can I implement composition in my C++ project?

To implement composition, define your classes with member variables that are instances of other classes. Use these member objects to delegate functionality, ensuring that each class has a single responsibility.