Course/Module 5/Topic 1 of 3Intermediate

inheritance & polymorphism - Concepts

Explore the key concepts of inheritance & polymorphism with practical examples and exercises.

45 min•By Priygop Team•Last updated: Feb 2026

Introduction to inheritance & polymorphism

In this section, we cover the fundamental aspects of inheritance & polymorphism. You'll learn core concepts, see real-world examples, and understand how to apply them in your projects.

Key Concepts

Understanding the core principles of inheritance & polymorphism
Practical applications and real-world use cases
Step-by-step implementation guides
Common patterns and best practices
Tips for debugging and troubleshooting
Performance optimization techniques

inheritance & polymorphism - Code Example

Example

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Shape {
public:
    virtual double area() const = 0; // Pure virtual
    virtual void display() const {
        cout << "Area: " << area() << endl;
    }
    virtual ~Shape() {}
};

class Circle : public Shape {
    double radius;
public:
    Circle(double r) : radius(r) {}
    double area() const override { return 3.14159 * radius * radius; }
};

class Rectangle : public Shape {
    double w, h;
public:
    Rectangle(double w, double h) : w(w), h(h) {}
    double area() const override { return w * h; }
};

int main() {
    Shape* shapes[] = {new Circle(5), new Rectangle(4, 6)};
    for (auto s : shapes) { s->display(); delete s; }
    return 0;
}

Try It Yourself: inheritance & polymorphism

Try It Yourself: inheritance & polymorphismC++

C++ Editor

✓ ValidTab = 2 spaces

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;

class Animal {
protected:
    string name;
public:
    Animal(string n) : name(n) {}
    virtual void speak() const = 0;
    virtual ~Animal() {}
};

class Dog : public Animal {
public:
    Dog(string n) : Animal(n) {}
    void speak() const override { cout << name << " says Woof!" << endl; }
};

class Cat : public Animal {
public:
    Cat(string n) : Animal(n) {}
    void speak() const override { cout << name << " says Meow!" << endl; }
};

int main() {
    vector<Animal*> pets = {new Dog("Rex"), new Cat("Whiskers")};
    for (auto p : pets) { p->speak(); delete p; }
    return 0;
}

Output

Click ▶ Run to see the result

Edit the code on the left, then click Run

C++|30 lines|650 chars|✓ Valid syntax

UTF-8

Quick Quiz: inheritance & polymorphism

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