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Friend Function

In C++, a friend function allows access to a class's private and protected data, declared using the 'friend' keyword within the class. The friend function can be defined outside the class and is invoked like a normal function, but it cannot be called using the class object. Additionally, a friend class can access private and protected members of the class it is declared as a friend to, exemplified through provided code snippets demonstrating both concepts.

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22 views4 pages

Friend Function

In C++, a friend function allows access to a class's private and protected data, declared using the 'friend' keyword within the class. The friend function can be defined outside the class and is invoked like a normal function, but it cannot be called using the class object. Additionally, a friend class can access private and protected members of the class it is declared as a friend to, exemplified through provided code snippets demonstrating both concepts.

Uploaded by

lpshatriya123
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

C++ Friend function

If a function is defined as a friend function in C++, then the protected and private data
of a class can be accessed using the function.

By using the keyword friend compiler knows the given function is a friend function.

For accessing the data, the declaration of a friend function should be done inside the
body of a class starting with the keyword friend.

Declaration of friend function in C++


class class_name
{
friend data_type function_name(argument/s);
};

In the above declaration, the friend function is preceded by the keyword friend. The
function can be defined anywhere in the program like a normal C++ function. The
function definition does not use either the keyword friend or scope resolution
operator.

Characteristics of a Friend function:

o The function is not in the scope of the class to which it has been declared as a
friend.
o It cannot be called using the object as it is not in the scope of that class.
o It can be invoked like a normal function without using the object.
o It cannot access the member names directly and has to use an object name and
dot membership operator with the member name.
o It can be declared either in the private or the public part.

C++ friend function Example


Let's see the simple example of C++ friend function used to print the length of a box.

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class Box
{
private:
//int length;
Int length=20;
public:
//Box(): length(0) { }
friend int printLength(Box); //friend function
};
int printLength(Box b)
{
[Link] += 10;
return [Link];
}
int main()
{
Box b;
cout<<"Length of box: "<< printLength(b)<<endl;
return 0;
}

Output:

Length of box: 10

Let's see a simple example when the function is friendly to two classes.

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class B; // forward declarartion
class A
{
int x;
public:
void setdata(int i)
{
x=i;
}
friend void min(A,B); // friend function.
};
class B
{
int y;
public:
void setdata(int i)
{
y=i;
}
friend void min(A,B); // friend function
};
void min(A a,B b)
{
if(a.x<=b.y)
cout << a.x << endl;
else
cout << b.y << endl;
}
int main()
{
A a;
B b;
[Link](10);
[Link](20);
min(a,b);
return 0;
}

Output:

10

In the above example, min() function is friendly to two classes, i.e., the min() function
can access the private members of both the classes A and B.

C++ Friend class


A friend class can access both private and protected members of the class in which it
has been declared as friend.

Let's see a simple example of a friend class.

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

class A
{
int x =5;
friend class B; // friend class.
};
class B
{
public:
void display(A &a)
{
cout<<"value of x is : "<<a.x;
}
};
int main()
{
A a;
B b;
[Link](a);
return 0;
}

Output:

value of x is : 5

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