C++: Can a struct inherit from a class?

Question

I am looking at the implementation of an API that I am using.

I noticed that a struct is inheriting from a class and I paused to ponder on it...

First, I d

Answer 1

struct and class are pretty much interchangeable - just with different defaults in that classes default to private inheritance and members, structs to public. The class keyword (and not struct) must be used for eg. "template ".

That said, many programmers use the two to give a slight suggestion to a programmer reading the code: by using a struct you're subtly suggesting a less encapsulating, OO design. A struct might be used internal to a library - where getting at the guts of it all is fair game, whereas classes are used on the boundary where API changes would inconvenience clients and better abstraction is useful. This very loose convention has grown out of the difference in default accessibility - lazy/efficient/concise (take your pick) programmers do what's easiest unless there's a benefit otherwise, and not typing access specifiers is nice when possible.