In C++, it is possible to inherit attributes and methods from one class to another. We group the "inheritance concept" into two categories:
- derived class (child) - the class that inherits from another class
- base class (parent) - the class being inherited from
To inherit from a class, use the : symbol.
In the example below, the Car class (child) inherits the attributes and methods from the Vehicle class (parent):
Example
// Base class
class Vehicle {
public:
string brand = "Ford";
void honk() {
cout << "Tuut, tuut! \n" ;
}
};
// Derived class
class Car: public Vehicle {
public:
string model = "Mustang";
};
int main() {
Car myCar;
myCar.honk();
cout << myCar.brand + " " + myCar.model;
return 0;
}
class Vehicle {
public:
string brand = "Ford";
void honk() {
cout << "Tuut, tuut! \n" ;
}
};
// Derived class
class Car: public Vehicle {
public:
string model = "Mustang";
};
int main() {
Car myCar;
myCar.honk();
cout << myCar.brand + " " + myCar.model;
return 0;
}
Why And When To Use "Inheritance"?
- It is useful for code reusability: reuse attributes and methods of an existing class when you create a new class.
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