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C++ | Virtual Functions | Question 9

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Can a destructor be virtual?

Will the following program compile?




#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class Base {
public:
  virtual ~Base() {}   
};
int main() {
   return 0;
}


(A) Yes
(B) No


Answer: (A)

Explanation: A destructor can be virtual. We may want to call appropriate destructor when a base class pointer points to a derived class object and we delete the object. If destructor is not virtual, then only the base class destructor may be called. For example, consider the following program.

// Not good code as destructor is not virtual
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

class Base  {
public:
    Base()    { cout << "Constructor: Base" << endl; }
    ~Base()   { cout << "Destructor : Base" << endl; }
};

class Derived: public Base {
public:
    Derived()   { cout << "Constructor: Derived" << endl; }
    ~Derived()   { cout << "Destructor : Derived" << endl; }
};

int main()  {
    Base *Var = new Derived();
    delete Var;
    return 0;
}

Output on GCC:
Constructor: Base
Constructor: Derived
Destructor : Base


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Last Updated : 28 Jun, 2021
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