What is a static binding c plus plus?

Answer 1

In its simplest definition, "binding", when referred to in the context of any computer programming language, describes how a variable is created and used (or "bound") by and within the given program and, possibly, by other programs, as well. However, there are other definitions for "binding" in computer programming languages, which would take too long to list and explain, especially given the broad nature of the question.

Answer 2

Most bindings in C (as opposed to C++ or other OO languages) is a static binding, done by the compiler at compile time.

This is because the compiler can determine the datatype when translating the program. Unlike a C++ program, sometimes a C++ program determines it's binding in a more dynamic way, at runtime. This is due to inheritance issues, which delay binding of a datatype in C++ to the actual run unit.

C does not have an object oriented, inheritance based environment, so the language bindings can be done at compile time and are static.

Answer 3

Static binding occurs at compile time. That is, when calling a non-virtual function, the compiler can determine the actual address of the function and statically bind to it.

By contrast, the compiler has no way of knowing which override of a virtual function will be called since this will ultimately be determined by the runtime class of the object. Thus the program must dynamically bind to the correct override by consulting that object's virtual table at runtime.

The only exception to dynamically binding to a virtual function is when the compile time class or any of its base classes declares the override to be final. In this case the compiler can statically bind to the final override since it is no longer a virtual function for the class that declared it final nor for any of its derivatives. Note that the final keyword was introduced in C++11.

Answer 4

Late binding means dynamic binding at runtime, and applies whenever the compiler does not have enough information in order to statically bind at compile time. For instance, when working with derived classes, you will generally work with pointers to their base classes since you cannot know what derivatives might exist in the future. But when you call virtual methods upon those base classes, the compiler cannot determine which override it will execute, so it cannot statically bind to those methods during compilation. Instead, it uses the derived class virtual table which will contain pointers to the actual overrides, and the program dynamically binds to the correct function at runtime.

Answer 5

Binding refers to the way member methods are bound to objects. Non-virtual functions are always statically bound while virtual functions are always dynamically bound via the virtual table. Every class that declares or inherits a virtual method has its own discrete virtual table that maps each virtual function to a function pointer, thus ensuring that the most-derived override is always executed first.

Answer 6

Dynamic binding occurs at runtime, whenever a type is unknown at compile time. For instance, if your code uses a pointer to an abstract data type, the actual type cannot be determined at compile time and must be dynamically bound at runtime. Static binding occurs at compile time, because the actual type is known in advance.