Defining Your First Class

Snippet

Defining Your First Class

A class is a blueprint for creating objects. It bundles data (variables) and functions (methods) together. The public keyword makes members accessible from outside the class. Objects are instances of a class, created just like normal variables.

snippet.cpp
cpp
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
 
class Dog {
public:
    std::string name;
    int age;
    
    void bark() {
        std::cout << name << " says: Woof! Woof!" << std::endl;
    }
    
    void birthday() {
        age++;
        std::cout << name << " is now " << age << " years old!" << std::endl;
    }
};
 
int main() {
    Dog myDog;
    myDog.name = "Bella";
    myDog.age = 3;
    
    myDog.bark();
    myDog.birthday();
    
    return 0;
}

Breakdown

class Dog {

Defines a new class type called Dog

public:

Access modifier: following members can be accessed from outside

std::string name;

Data member storing the dog's name

void bark()

Member function that makes the dog bark

Dog myDog;

Creates an object (instance) of the Dog class

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Defining Your First Class

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