Structures

Overview

Structures group variables of different data types under a single name. They are the precursor to classes and are heavily used to represent data records.

Syntax

cpp

struct Player {
    string name;
    int health;
    int score;
};

// Instantiation
Player p1;
p1.name = "Hero";
p1.health = 100;

// Initialization list
Player p2 = {"Villain", 150, 500};

Common Pitfalls

Forgetting the semicolon `;` at the very end of the struct definition.

Interview Tips

Explain the difference between a `struct` and a `class` in C++. In C++, they are almost identical, except struct members are `public` by default, while class members are `private` by default.

Real-World Example

Managing a list of objects using structs.

example

cpp

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;

struct Point {
    int x, y;
};

int main() {
    vector<Point> path = {{0,0}, {1,2}, {3,5}};
    
    for (const auto& pt : path) {
        cout << "Going to: (" << pt.x << "," << pt.y << ")\n";
    }
    return 0;
}

Take C++ Quiz