Both of these are types of inheritance. Inheritance is basically a method that lets users construct or derive new classes out of the pre-existing classes. There is a significant difference between single and multiple inheritances in C++. We have multiple base classes in multiple inheritances, and only one derived class inherits them combined.
The reusability concept is pretty common in the case of inheritance. It means that the newly created classes can easily reuse the properties contained in the pre-existing ones. An access specifier decides how to inherit the base class member from the derived class. One can use various ways to achieve inheritance, such as single, hierarchical, multiple, hybrid, multilevel, etc. Let us know a bit more about the difference between single and multiple inheritances in C++.
What is Single Inheritance in C++?
In the case of single inheritance, the derived can easily inherit the base class privately, publicly, and also protected. Here, the derived class can utilize the members or features present in a single base class. Thus, one can access these base class members by the child class or the derived class. It occurs according to the access specifier that one specifies while inheriting the base class or the parent class.
What is Multiple Inheritance in C++?
In the case of multiple inheritance, the derived class basically acquires multiple base classes. This type of inheritance allows the derived class to utilize the joint features present in the base classes (inherited ones). The derived class inherits every base class by individually notifying a separate access specifier for every one of them. The child class or the derived class can easily access the base class members. It happens according to the access specifier that we specify during the inheritance of the base class or the parent class.
Difference Between Single and Multiple Inheritance in C++
Here is a list of the differences between Single and Multiple Inheritance in C++.
| Parameters | Single Inheritance in C++ | Multiple Inheritance in C++ |
| Meaning and Definition | In the case of single inheritance, the derived class performs the inheritance of a single base class. | In the case of multiple inheritance, the derived class can acquire multiple base classes. |
| Use of Features | The derived classes can utilize the features that belong to a single base class. | The derived class can utilize all the features present in all the base classes jointly. |
| Overhead | It comes with comparatively less overhead. | It comes with comparatively more overhead. |
| Run Time | It requires a comparatively smaller run time due to less overhead. | It requires comparatively more run time because the overhead is more. |
| Type | It is a lot closer to that of specialization. | It is a lot closer to that of generalization. |
| Complexity | It is comparatively much more simple than multiple inheritance. | It is comparatively much more complex than single inheritance. |
| Implementation | One can easily implement simple inheritance using any programming language. | You cannot implement multiple inheritance using any programming language you like. It is a bit more limited. For instance, Java, C# does not provide any support for multiple inheritance. |
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