What are the differences between virtual functions and regular functions?

What are the differences between virtual functions and regular functions?

Virtual functions are used in object-oriented programming to achieve polymorphism, allowing derived classes to override them. Regular functions do not have this capability.

Can you give me an example of when to use a virtual function?

Sure! If you have a base class 'Animal' with a method 'speak()', and derived classes like 'Dog' and 'Cat' that implement 'speak()' differently, you would declare 'speak()' as a virtual function.

What happens if I don't use virtual functions in this case?

If you don't use virtual functions, the base class's version of 'speak()' will be called, regardless of the object's actual type, leading to incorrect behavior.

Are there any performance implications of using virtual functions?

Yes, virtual functions can introduce a slight overhead due to dynamic dispatch, but the benefits of flexibility often outweigh this cost.