Friend function in C++

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In C++, if a function is declared as a friend function, the function can access a class’s protected and private data.

The keyword friend informs the compiler that the supplied function is a friend function.

The declaration of a friend function should be done inside the body of a class commencing with the keyword friend for accessing the data.

In C++, the friend function is declared:

class class_name    
{    

    // syntax of friend function.  
    friend data_type function_name(argument/s);
};    

The friend function is started by the term friend in the above declaration. Like any other C++ function, the function can be declared anywhere in the program.

Neither the keyword friend nor the scope resolution operator is used in the function declaration.

Characteristics of a Friend function:

  • The function is not in the scope of the class to which it is a friend.
  • It can’t be called with the object since it’s not in that class’s scope.
  • It may be called like any other function without the need for the object.
  • It can’t directly access member names, therefore it must use an object name and the dot membership operator with the member name.
  • It might be stated in either the private or public section.

Example of a friend function in C++:

#include <iostream>    
using namespace std;    
class Box    
{    
    private:    
        int length;    
    public:    
        Box(): length(0) { }    
        friend int printLength(Box); //friend function    
};    
int printLength(Box b)    
{    
   b.length += 10;    
    return b.length;    
}    
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)  
    std::cout << a.x << std::endl;  
    else  
    std::cout << b.y << std::endl;  
}  
   int main()  
{  
   A a;  
   B b;  
   a.setdata(10);  
   b.setdata(20);  
   min(a,b);  
    return 0;  
 }  

Output:

10

The min() method in the above example is friendly to two classes, i.e., it may access the private members of both classes A and B.

The Friend class In C++:

A friend class has access to both private and protected members of the class it is defined as a friend in.

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;  
    b.display(a);  
    return 0;  
}  

Output:

value of x is : 5

Class B is defined as a friend inside class A in the example above. As a result, B is a class A friend. Class B has access to class A’s private members.

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Lingaraj Senapati

Hey There! I am Lingaraj Senapati, the Founder of lingarajtechhub.com My skills are Freelance, Web Developer & Designer, Corporate Trainer, Digital Marketer & Youtuber.

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