Book Image

C++ Fundamentals

By : Antonio Mallia, Francesco Zoffoli
Book Image

C++ Fundamentals

By: Antonio Mallia, Francesco Zoffoli

Overview of this book

C++ Fundamentals begins by introducing you to the C++ compilation model and syntax. You will then study data types, variable declaration, scope, and control flow statements. With the help of this book, you'll be able to compile fully working C++ code and understand how variables, references, and pointers can be used to manipulate the state of the program. Next, you will explore functions and classes — the features that C++ offers to organize a program — and use them to solve more complex problems. You will also understand common pitfalls and modern best practices, especially the ones that diverge from the C++98 guidelines. As you advance through the chapters, you'll study the advantages of generic programming and write your own templates to make generic algorithms that work with any type. This C++ book will guide you in fully exploiting standard containers and algorithms, understanding how to pick the appropriate one for each problem. By the end of this book, you will not only be able to write efficient code but also be equipped to improve the readability, performance, and maintainability of your programs.
Table of Contents (9 chapters)
C++ Fundamentals
Preface

Interfaces in C++


In the previous section, we saw how to define a method that is virtual, and how the compiler will do dynamic dispatch when calling it.

We have also talked about interfaces throughout the chapter, but we never specified what an interface is.

An interface is a way for the code to specify a contract that the caller needs to provide to be able to call some functionality. We looked at an informal definition when talking about the templates and the requirements they impose on the types used with them.

Functions and methods which accepts parameters as interface are a way of saying: in order to perform my actions, I need these functionalities; it's up to you to provide them.

To specify an interface in C++, we can use an Abstract Base Class (ABC).

Let's dive into the name; the class is:

  • Abstract: This means that it cannot be instantiated

  • Base: This means it is designed to be derived from

Any class that defines a pure virtual method is abstract. A pure virtual method is a virtual method...