Can Class Member Function Templates Be Virtual in C ?

Virtuality and Class Member Function Templates

Can a class member function template be virtual?

No, a class member function template cannot be virtual in C .

Explanation:

Templates operate at compile-time, generating code based on the type information provided. Virtual functions, on the other hand, are resolved at runtime based on the actual object type. This creates a conflict because the compiler cannot generate the correct concrete instance of the templated function at compile-time if it doesn't know the exact type of the object being referenced at runtime.

Example of Type Erasure

While you cannot directly create virtual class member function templates, there are techniques that combine polymorphism and templates, such as type erasure. This involves creating a base class with a common interface and then using templates to create specialized subclasses that implement the interface using different types. At runtime, the base class can cast objects to the common interface type, effectively erasing the specific types of the subclasses. This allows for dynamic dispatch based on the interface type while maintaining type safety.

The above is the detailed content of Can Class Member Function Templates Be Virtual in C ?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!