Friendship

suggest change

The friend keyword is used to give other classes and functions access to private and protected members of the class, even through they are defined outside the class`s scope.

#include <iostream>

class Animal {
private:
    double weight;
    double height;
public:
    Animal(double w, double h) : weight(w), height(h) { }
    friend void printWeight(Animal animal);
    friend class AnimalPrinter;
    // A common use for a friend function is to overload the operator<< for streaming. 
    friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, Animal animal);
};

void printWeight(Animal animal)
{
    std::cout << animal.weight << "\n";
}

class AnimalPrinter
{
public:
    void print(const Animal& animal)
    {
        // Because of the `friend class AnimalPrinter;" declaration, we are
        // allowed to access private members here.
        std::cout << animal.weight << ", " << animal.height << std::endl;
    }
};

std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, Animal animal)
{
    os << "Animal height: " << animal.height << "\n";
    return os;
}

int main() {
    Animal animal = {10, 5};
    printWeight(animal);

    AnimalPrinter aPrinter;
    aPrinter.print(animal);

    std::cout << animal;
}
10
10, 5
Animal height: 5

Feedback about page:

Feedback:
Optional: your email if you want me to get back to you:



Table Of Contents