answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

A struct declares all members public by default, whereas a class declares all members private by default. That is really the only difference. Structs are from C and classes from C++, you can use both structs and classes in C++ but only structs in C.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

Structures are public while classes are private by default. A class that is declared fully public is no different to a structure, and therefore breaks the fundamental principals of data-hiding and encapsulation, two of the cornerstones of OOP.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

In C++ a struct is public by default whereas a class is private by default. Other than that they are exactly the same (you are free to override the default access). In C, there are no classes at all. A C struct has public access only and has no methods and no constructors, only member variables.

Most C++ programmers use classes to instantiate objects and reserve the struct data type purely for simple C-style structures, especially in code intended for distribution.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What are the differences between a struct data type and a class data type in c plus plus?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Engineering

What is a class in c plus plus how does it compare with structure in c?

A struct in C is a POD (plain old data) type. A class in C++ can also be a POD for backward compatibility with C code, but more typically combines data with methods that operate upon the data, including constructors and initialisers. Classes in C++ can be declared using either the struct or class keyword. By convention you will typically use struct to define POD data types and class to define more complex data types. The only practical difference between a struct and a class is that classes use private access and inheritance by default while struct uses public access and inheritance by default. Thus the following two class definitions are functionally the same: struct A { A():m_data(0) {} // public access by default private: int m_data; }; class B { int m_data; // private access by default public: B():m_data(0) {} };


Difference between structure and class?

Structure members are public by default while class members are private by default. Classes encapsulate the data and the methods that operate upon that data into a discrete package (an object), exposing only as much or as little interface as is required by the class itself, to ensure the data remains in a valid state at all times. Structures have no such protection.


Definition of structure in c plus plus?

A structure is a collection of variables referenced under one name, providing a convenient means of keeping related information together. A structure declaration forms a template that may be used to create structure objects (that is, instances of a structure). The variables that make up the structure are called members. (Structure members are also commonly referred to as elements or fields).


Difference between c plus plus class and c structures?

The definition of the structure in C is limited to within the module and cannot be initialized outside its scope. Where as in C++ you can initialize the objects anywhere within the boundaries of the project.


What are the advantages of a class in C over a structure in C?

A C struct only has public member variables whereas a C++ class combines member variables with member functions; the methods that operate upon the data. Moreover, each member of a class can be assigned a different level of access from public, protected or private access, thus limiting the member's exposure. This allows classes to hide data and implementation details from outside of the class, exposing only as much as is necessary in order to use the class. Thus the class becomes entirely responsible for the integrity of its data, while its methods act as the gatekeepers to that data.Note that in C++, a struct is exactly the same as a class, other than the fact that the members of a struct are public by default while members of a class are private by default, unless explicitly declared otherwise. Aside from that they operate in exactly the same way. In other words, a C++ struct is not the same as a C struct.

Related questions

What is a class in c plus plus how does it compare with structure in c?

A struct in C is a POD (plain old data) type. A class in C++ can also be a POD for backward compatibility with C code, but more typically combines data with methods that operate upon the data, including constructors and initialisers. Classes in C++ can be declared using either the struct or class keyword. By convention you will typically use struct to define POD data types and class to define more complex data types. The only practical difference between a struct and a class is that classes use private access and inheritance by default while struct uses public access and inheritance by default. Thus the following two class definitions are functionally the same: struct A { A():m_data(0) {} // public access by default private: int m_data; }; class B { int m_data; // private access by default public: B():m_data(0) {} };


Difference between structure and class?

Structure members are public by default while class members are private by default. Classes encapsulate the data and the methods that operate upon that data into a discrete package (an object), exposing only as much or as little interface as is required by the class itself, to ensure the data remains in a valid state at all times. Structures have no such protection.


How does a struct differ from a class?

The keywords struct and class are both used for the same purpose: to define a class. The only difference is that members of a struct are public by default while the members of a class are private by default. As such, the following classes are identical: struct A { int data; }; class B { public: int data; }; By convention we use structures to define a "plain-old data" type (POD). A POD is basically the same as a struct in C, it has no user-defined constructors, methods or operator overloads and makes use of trivial default construction with member-wise copy. PODs may use inheritance provides all base classes are themselves PODs. In C++, we use classes to define non-POD structures. In C there are no classes and all structures are PODs.


Draw the node single linked list and double linked list?

typedef struct ListNode {struct ListNode *next;anytype data;} ListNode;typedef struct BiListNode {struct BiListNode *next;struct BiListNode *prev;anytype data;} BiListNode;


Definition of structure in c plus plus?

A structure is a collection of variables referenced under one name, providing a convenient means of keeping related information together. A structure declaration forms a template that may be used to create structure objects (that is, instances of a structure). The variables that make up the structure are called members. (Structure members are also commonly referred to as elements or fields).


Difference between c plus plus class and c structures?

The definition of the structure in C is limited to within the module and cannot be initialized outside its scope. Where as in C++ you can initialize the objects anywhere within the boundaries of the project.


What are the advantages of a class in C over a structure in C?

A C struct only has public member variables whereas a C++ class combines member variables with member functions; the methods that operate upon the data. Moreover, each member of a class can be assigned a different level of access from public, protected or private access, thus limiting the member's exposure. This allows classes to hide data and implementation details from outside of the class, exposing only as much as is necessary in order to use the class. Thus the class becomes entirely responsible for the integrity of its data, while its methods act as the gatekeepers to that data.Note that in C++, a struct is exactly the same as a class, other than the fact that the members of a struct are public by default while members of a class are private by default, unless explicitly declared otherwise. Aside from that they operate in exactly the same way. In other words, a C++ struct is not the same as a C struct.


Write data structure for creation operation on singly linked list?

typedef struct ListElement {struct ListElement *next;long data;} ListElement;


What are the differences between internal data and external data?

AYO


What is the difference between struct in c and c plus plus?

In C, a struct is simply a type that can hold several sub-objects. In C++, struct is almost the same as "class". It can have member functions, parent structs and classes, etc. The only difference between struct and class is that the members of class are by default private, while the members of struct are by default public. Thus, a standard C struct is also a good C++ struct - simply one that has no member functions and no parents.


Non primitive data type?

Struct or array.


What is classes in programing?

There are no classes in C; it is not an object-oriented programming language. C++ has classes. A class is a data type from which objects can instantiated in much the same way that an integer variable can be instantiated from an int data type in both C and C++. However, an int is a primitive data type; it has no member methods associated with it. The built-in operators are designed to operate upon primitive data types but those operators are not integral to the type. A class is more like a struct in C; an aggregate of data values. A class can contain both static data (data that is common to the class) and non-static data (data that relates to an instance of the class). However, as well as storing data, a class can also define member functions that operate upon that data, but that are scoped to the class (static member functions) or to an instance of the class (instance member functions). Unlike C where a struct's data members are always public, a C++ class can define separate public, protected and private data members (and functions), where private is the default access. A C++ struct is also a class, but one where the members are public by default. As such, a C++ struct can be used to create trivial "plain old data" classes that are compatible with C code as well as to create highly complex data types. Objects are self-contained entities where the member methods (functions and operators) have private access to the class representation. Non-member functions cannot gain access to this representation other than through public member functions or by being declared a friend of the class. The protected representation is the same as the private representation but is also accessible to derivatives of the class. Derivatives automatically inherit the public and protected members of their base classes, but not the private members. This makes it possible to derive more specialised classes from existing classes without have to duplicate the base class code.