Access-specifier — either of private, public or protected.

If neither is specified,
PRIVATE is taken as default.
Note: A derived class doesn’t inherit access to private data members. However, it does
inherit a full parent object, which contains any private members which that class
declares.
Example:
1. class ABC : private XYZ //private derivation
{ }
2. class ABC : public XYZ //public derivation
{ }
3. class ABC : protected XYZ //protected derivation
{ }
4. class ABC: XYZ //private derivation by default
{ }
Note:
# When a base class is privately inherited by the derived class, public members of the
base class becomes the private members of the derived class and therefore, the public
members of the base class can only be accessed by the member functions of the derived
class. They are inaccessible to the objects of the derived class.
# On the other hand, when the base class is publicly inherited by the derived class,
public members of the base class also become the public members of the derived class.
Therefore, the public members of the base class are accessible by the objects of the
derived class as well as by the member functions of the derived class.

// Example: define member function without argument within

// the class

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Person {
int id;
char name[100];

public:
void set_p()
{
cout << "Enter the Id:";
cin >> id;
cout << "Enter the Name:";
cin >> name;
}
 void display_p()
{
cout << endl <<"Id: "<< id << "\nName: " << name <<endl;
}
};

class Student : private Person {

char course[50];
int fee;

public:
void set_s()
{
set_p();
cout << "Enter the Course Name:";
cin >> course;
cout << "Enter the Course Fee:";
cin >> fee;
}

void display_s()
{
display_p();
cout <<"Course: "<< course << "\nFee: " << fee << endl;
}
};

int main()
{
Student s;
s.set_s();
s.display_s();
return 0;
}

Output:
Enter the Id: 101
Enter the Name: Dev
Enter the Course Name: GCS
Enter the Course Fee:70000
Id: 101
Name: Dev
Course: GCS
Fee: 70000

// Example: define member function without argument outside the class

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

class Person
{
int id;
char name[100];

public:
void set_p();
void display_p();
};

void Person::set_p()
{
cout<<"Enter the Id:";
cin>>id;
cout<<"Enter the Name:";
cin>>name;
}

void Person::display_p()
{
cout<<endl<<"id: "<< id<<"\nName: "<<name;
}

class Student: private Person

{
char course[50];
int fee;

public:
void set_s();
 void display_s();
};

void Student::set_s()
{
set_p();
cout<<"Enter the Course Name:";
cin>>course;
cout<<"Enter the Course Fee:";
cin>>fee;
}

void Student::display_s()
{
display_p();
cout<<"\nCourse: "<<course<<"\nFee: "<<fee<<endl;
}

int main()
{
Student s;
s.set_s();
s.display_s();
return 0;
}

Output:
Enter the Id: 101
Enter the Name: Dev
Enter the Course Name: GCS
Enter the Course Fee: 70000
Id: 101
Name: Dev
Course: GCS
Fee: 70000

// Example: define member function with argument outside the class

#include<iostream>
#include<string.h>
using namespace std;

class Person
{
int id;
char name[100];

public:
void set_p(int,char[]);
void display_p();
};

void Person::set_p(int id,char n[])

{
this->id=id;
strcpy(this->name,n);
}

void Person::display_p()
{
cout<<endl<<id<<"\t"<<name;
}

class Student: private Person

{
char course[50];
int fee;
public:
void set_s(int,char[],char[],int);
void display_s();
};

void Student::set_s(int id,char n[],char c[],int f)

{
set_p(id,n);
strcpy(course,c);
fee=f;
}

void Student::display_s()
{
display_p();
 cout<<"t"<<course<<"\t"<<fee;
}

main()
{
Student s;
s.set_s(1001,"Ram","B.Tech",2000);
s.display_s();
return 0;
}

// C++ program to demonstrate implementation

// of Inheritance

#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;

// Base class
class Parent {
public:
int id_p;
};

// Sub class inheriting from Base Class(Parent)

class Child : public Parent {
public:
int id_c;
};

// main function
int main()
{
Child obj1;

// An object of class child has all data members

// and member functions of class parent
obj1.id_c = 7;
obj1.id_p = 91;
cout << "Child id is: " << obj1.id_c << '\n';
cout << "Parent id is: " << obj1.id_p << '\n';
 return 0;
}

Output
Child id is: 7
Parent id is: 91
Output:
Child id is: 7
Parent id is: 91
In the above program, the ‘Child’ class is publicly inherited from the ‘Parent’ class so
the public data members of the class ‘Parent’ will also be inherited by the class ‘Child’.
Modes of Inheritance: There are 3 modes of inheritance.
1. Public Mode: If we derive a subclass from a public base class. Then the
public member of the base class will become public in the derived class and
protected members of the base class will become protected in the derived
class.
2. Protected Mode: If we derive a subclass from a Protected base class. Then
both public members and protected members of the base class will become
protected in the derived class.
3. Private Mode: If we derive a subclass from a Private base class. Then both
public members and protected members of the base class will become Private
in the derived class.
Note: The private members in the base class cannot be directly accessed in the derived
class, while protected members can be directly accessed. For example, Classes B, C, and
D all contain the variables x, y, and z in the below example. It is just a question of access.
// C++ Implementation to show that a derived class
// doesn’t inherit access to private data members.
// However, it does inherit a full parent object.
class A {
public:
int x;

protected:
int y;

private:
int z;
};

class B : public A {
 // x is public
// y is protected
// z is not accessible from B
};

class C : protected A {
// x is protected
// y is protected
// z is not accessible from C
};

class D : private A // 'private' is default for classes

{
// x is private
// y is private
// z is not accessible from D
};

The below table summarizes the above three modes and shows the access specifier of the
members of the base class in the subclass when derived in public, protected and private
modes:

Types Of Inheritance:-
1. Single inheritance
2. Multilevel inheritance
3. Multiple inheritance
4. Hierarchical inheritance
5. Hybrid inheritance

Types of Inheritance in C++

1. Single Inheritance: In single inheritance, a class is allowed to inherit from only one
class. i.e. one subclass is inherited by one base class only.

Syntax:
class subclass_name : access_mode base_class
{
// body of subclass
};
OR
class A
{
... .. ...
};
class B: public A
{
... .. ...
};

// C++ program to explain

// Single inheritance
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

// base class
class Vehicle {
public:
Vehicle()
{
 cout << "This is a Vehicle\n";
}
};

// sub class derived from a single base classes

class Car : public Vehicle {

};

// main function
int main()
{
// Creating object of sub class will
// invoke the constructor of base classes
Car obj;
return 0;
}

Output
This is a Vehicle

// Example:

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

class A
{
protected:
int a;

public:
void set_A()
{
cout<<"Enter the Value of A=";
cin>>a;

}
void disp_A()
{
cout<<endl<<"Value of A="<<a;
 }
};

class B: public A
{
int b,p;

public:
void set_B()
{
set_A();
cout<<"Enter the Value of B=";
cin>>b;
}

void disp_B()
{
disp_A();
cout<<endl<<"Value of B="<<b;
}

void cal_product()
{
p=a*b;
cout<<endl<<"Product of "<<a<<" * "<<b<<" = "<<p;
}

};

main()
{

B _b;
_b.set_B();
_b.cal_product();

return 0;

Output:- Enter the Value of A= 3 3 Enter the Value of B= 5 5 Product of 3 * 5 = 15

// Example:

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

class A
{
protected:
int a;

public:
void set_A(int x)
{
a=x;
}

void disp_A()
{
cout<<endl<<"Value of A="<<a;
}
};

class B: public A
{
int b,p;

public:
void set_B(int x,int y)
{
set_A(x);
b=y;
}

void disp_B()
{
disp_A();
cout<<endl<<"Value of B="<<b;
}

void cal_product()
{
p=a*b;
cout<<endl<<"Product of "<<a<<" * "<<b<<" = "<<p;
 }

};

main()
{
B _b;
_b.set_B(4,5);
_b.cal_product();

return 0;
}

Output
Product of 4 * 5 = 20

2. Multiple Inheritance: Multiple Inheritance is a feature of C++ where a class can

inherit from more than one class. i.e one subclass is inherited from more than one base
class.

Syntax:
class subclass_name : access_mode base_class1, access_mode
base_class2, ....
{
// body of subclass
};
class B
{
... .. ...
};
class C
{
... .. ...
};
class A: public B, public C
{
... ... ...
};
Here, the number of base classes will be separated by a comma (‘, ‘) and the access mode
for every base class must be specified.

// C++ program to explain

// multiple inheritance
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

// first base class

class Vehicle {
public:
Vehicle() { cout << "This is a Vehicle\n"; }
};

// second base class

class FourWheeler {
public:
FourWheeler()
{
cout << "This is a 4 wheeler Vehicle\n";
}
};

// sub class derived from two base classes

class Car : public Vehicle, public FourWheeler {
};

// main function
int main()
{
// Creating object of sub class will
// invoke the constructor of base classes.
Car obj;
 return 0;
}

Output
This is a Vehicle
This is a 4 wheeler Vehicle

// Example:

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

class A
{
protected:
int a;

public:
void set_A()
{
cout<<"Enter the Value of A=";
cin>>a;

void disp_A()
{
cout<<endl<<"Value of A="<<a;
}
};

class B: public A
{
protected:
int b;

public:
void set_B()
 {
cout<<"Enter the Value of B=";
cin>>b;
}

void disp_B()
{
cout<<endl<<"Value of B="<<b;
}
};

class C: public B
{
int c,p;

public:
void set_C()
{
cout<<"Enter the Value of C=";
cin>>c;
}

void disp_C()
{
cout<<endl<<"Value of C="<<c;
}

void cal_product()
{
p=a*b*c;
cout<<endl<<"Product of "<<a<<" * "<<b<<" * "<<c<<" = "<<p;
}
};

main()
{

C _c;
_c.set_A();
_c.set_B();
_c.set_C();
_c.disp_A();
 _c.disp_B();
_c.disp_C();
_c.cal_product();

return 0;

3. Multilevel Inheritance: In this type of inheritance, a derived class is created from

another derived class.
Syntax:-
class C
{
... .. ...
};
class B:public C
{
... .. ...
};
class A: public B
{
... ... ...
};

// C++ program to implement

// Multilevel Inheritance
#include <iostream>
 using namespace std;

// base class
class Vehicle {
public:
Vehicle() { cout << "This is a Vehicle\n"; }
};

// first sub_class derived from class vehicle

class fourWheeler : public Vehicle {
public:
fourWheeler()
{
cout << "Objects with 4 wheels are vehicles\n";
}
};
// sub class derived from the derived base class fourWheeler
class Car : public fourWheeler {
public:
Car() { cout << "Car has 4 Wheels\n"; }
};

// main function
int main()
{
// Creating object of sub class will
// invoke the constructor of base classes.
Car obj;
return 0;
}

Output
This is a Vehicle
Objects with 4 wheels are vehicles
Car has 4 Wheels

4. Hierarchical Inheritance: In this type of inheritance, more than one subclass is

inherited from a single base class. i.e. more than one derived class is created from a single
base class.
Syntax:-
class A
{
// body of the class A.
}
class B : public A
{
// body of class B.
}
class C : public A
{
// body of class C.
}
class D : public A
{
// body of class D.
}

// C++ program to implement

// Hierarchical Inheritance
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
 // base class
class Vehicle {
public:
Vehicle() { cout << "This is a Vehicle\n"; }
};

// first sub class

class Car : public Vehicle {
};

// second sub class

class Bus : public Vehicle {
};

// main function
int main()
{
// Creating object of sub class will
// invoke the constructor of base class.
Car obj1;
Bus obj2;
return 0;
}

Output
This is a Vehicle
This is a Vehicle

5. Hybrid (Virtual) Inheritance: Hybrid Inheritance is implemented by combining more

than one type of inheritance. For example: Combining Hierarchical inheritance and
Multiple Inheritance.
Below image shows the combination of hierarchical and multiple inheritances:
// C++ program for Hybrid Inheritance

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

// base class
class Vehicle {
public:
Vehicle() { cout << "This is a Vehicle\n"; }
};

// base class
class Fare {
public:
Fare() { cout << "Fare of Vehicle\n"; }
};

// first sub class

class Car : public Vehicle {
};

// second sub class

class Bus : public Vehicle, public Fare {
};

// main function
int main()
{
// Creating object of sub class will
// invoke the constructor of base class.
 Bus obj2;
return 0;
}

Output
This is a Vehicle
Fare of Vehicle

// Example:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class A
{
protected:
int a;
public:
void get_a()
{
cout << "Enter the value of 'a' : ";
cin>>a;
}
};

class B : public A
{
protected:
int b;
public:
void get_b()
{
cout << "Enter the value of 'b' : ";
cin>>b;
}
};
class C
{
protected:
int c;
public:
 void get_c()
{
cout << "Enter the value of c is : ";
cin>>c;
}
};

class D : public B, public C

{
protected:
int d;
public:
void mul()
{
get_a();
get_b();
get_c();
cout << "Multiplication of a,b,c is : " <<a*b*c;
}
};

int main()
{
D d;
d.mul();
return 0;
}

6. A special case of hybrid inheritance: Multipath inheritance:

A derived class with two base classes and these two base classes have one common base
class is called multipath inheritance. Ambiguity can arise in this .
Example:
// C++ program demonstrating ambiguity in Multipath
// Inheritance
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class ClassA {
public:
int a;
};

class ClassB : public ClassA {

public:
int b;
};

class ClassC : public ClassA {

public:
int c;
};

class ClassD : public ClassB, public ClassC {

public:
int d;
};

int main()
{
ClassD obj;

// obj.a = 10; // Statement 1, Error

// obj.a = 100; // Statement 2, Error

obj.ClassB::a = 10; // Statement 3

obj.ClassC::a = 100; // Statement 4

obj.b = 20;
obj.c = 30;
obj.d = 40;

cout << " a from ClassB : " << obj.ClassB::a;

cout << "\n a from ClassC : " << obj.ClassC::a;

cout << "\n b : " << obj.b;

cout << "\n c : " << obj.c;
cout << "\n d : " << obj.d << '\n';
 }

Output
a from ClassB : 10
a from ClassC : 100
b : 20
c : 30
d : 40
Output:
a from ClassB : 10
a from ClassC : 100
b : 20
c : 30
d : 40
In the above example, both ClassB and ClassC inherit ClassA, they both have a single
copy of ClassA. However Class-D inherits both ClassB and ClassC, therefore Class-D
has two copies of ClassA, one from ClassB and another from ClassC.
If we need to access the data member of ClassA through the object of Class-D, we must
specify the path from which a will be accessed, whether it is from ClassB or ClassC, bcoz
compiler can’t differentiate between two copies of ClassA in Class-D.

There are 2 Ways to Avoid this Ambiguity:

1) Avoiding ambiguity using the scope resolution operator: Using the scope resolution
operator we can manually specify the path from which data member a will be accessed,
as shown in statements 3 and 4, in the above example.
obj.ClassB::a = 10; // Statement 3
obj.ClassC::a = 100; // Statement 4

Note: Still, there are two copies of ClassA in Class-D.

2) Avoiding ambiguity using the virtual base class:
#include<iostream>
 class ClassA
{
public:
int a;
};

class ClassB : virtual public ClassA

{
public:
int b;
};

class ClassC : virtual public ClassA

{
public:
int c;
};

class ClassD : public ClassB, public ClassC

{
public:
int d;
};

int main()
{
ClassD obj;

obj.a = 10; // Statement 3

obj.a = 100; // Statement 4

obj.b = 20;
obj.c = 30;
obj.d = 40;

cout << "\n a : " << obj.a;

cout << "\n b : " << obj.b;
cout << "\n c : " << obj.c;
cout << "\n d : " << obj.d << '\n';
}

Output:
a : 100
b : 20
c : 30
d : 40
According to the above example, Class-D has only one copy of ClassA, therefore,
statement 4 will overwrite the value of a, given in statement 3.