What is the Purpose of the \'override\' Keyword in C Virtual Method Overriding?

Virtual Method Overriding in C

In object-oriented programming, polymorphism allows subclasses to override base class methods and provide their own implementations. In C , the override keyword plays a crucial role in this process.

What Does 'override' Do?

The override keyword has two main purposes:

• Declares Method as Override: It explicitly states that the method is intended to override a virtual method in the base class. This helps clarify the programmer's intent and facilitates code comprehension.
• Type-Checking: It enables the compiler to verify that the overridden method's signature matches that of the base class method. This ensures that virtual method contracts are maintained and reduces errors.

Example of Override

Consider the following C code:

<code class="cpp">class Base {
public:
    virtual int foo(float x) = 0;
};

class Derived : public Base {
public:
    int foo(float x) override {
        // Derived class implementation of foo
    }
};</code>

In this example, the foo method in the Derived class overrides the abstract method in the Base class. The override keyword ensures that the compiler checks that the foo method's signature matches the base class method's signature. This helps prevent errors such as adding new arguments or changing the return type of the overridden method, which can break the virtual method contract.

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