A struct is a data type in C/C++. It is a user-defined data type that allows us to store different types of data elements under a single variable name.
I remember when I first started learning C++, the concept of struct was a bit confusing to me. But as I delved deeper into the language, I realized how powerful and flexible structs can be.
Structs are similar to classes in C++, but with a few key differences. While classes are used for object-oriented programming, structs are primarily used for data organization. They provide a way to group related data together, making it easier to manage and manipulate the data.
One of the advantages of using a struct is that it allows us to create our own custom data types. We can define the structure of the data by specifying different members within the struct. These members can be of any data type, including primitive types like integers, floats, or characters, as well as other structs or even arrays.
For example, let’s say we want to store information about a student. We can define a struct called “Student” with members such as name, age, and grade. Each member can have a different data type, like a string for the name, an integer for the age, and a float for the grade.
Struct Student {
String name;
Int age;
Float grade;
};
Once we have defined the struct, we can create variables of that type and access its members using the dot operator. We can assign values to the members and retrieve or modify them as needed.
Student student1;
Student1.name = “John Doe”;
Student1.age = 18;
Student1.grade = 85.5;
Cout << "Name: " << student1.name << endl; Cout << "Age: " << student1.age << endl; Cout << "Grade: " << student1.grade << endl;
In addition to storing data, structs can also have functions associated with them. These functions are called member functions or methods and can be used to perform operations on the data stored in the struct. However, unlike classes, structs cannot have access specifiers like private or public. A struct is indeed a data type in C/C++. It allows us to group related data together and create custom data types. Structs are useful for organizing and managing data, and they provide flexibility and convenience in programming.