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c++overloadingdefault

Overload a method or use default values? c++

I'm still relatively new to C++ and I can't seem to figure out the difference in the following two ways of coding a function that may take one parameter or maybe two or three or more. Anyway, here's my point

function overload:

int aClass::doSomething(int required)
{
    //DO SOMETHING
}

int aClass::doSomething(int required, int optional)
{
    //DO SOMETHING
}

how is this different to, default value:

int aClass::doSomething(int required, int optional = 0)
{
    //DO SOMETHING
}

I know in different circumstances one may be more suitable than another but what kinds of things should I be aware of when choosing between each of these options?

Solution

  • First off, you're talking about overloading, not overriding. Overriding is done for virtual functions in a derived class. Overloading refers to the same function name with a different signature.

    The difference is logical - in the first case (2 versions), the two functions can behave completely different, whereas the second case will have more or less the same logic. It's really up to you.