What does “class” mean in C++?

In C++, a class is a user-defined data type used to define the attributes (member variables) and behaviors (member functions) of objects. Classes can be thought of as a template or blueprint for creating specific objects.

In a class, various members can be defined, including public members, private members, and protected members. Public members can be accessed from outside the class, private members can only be accessed within the class, and protected members can be accessed within the class and in derived classes.

The definition of a class is typically done in a header file, while the implementation of member functions can be done in either the header or source file. When creating an object of a class, memory space is allocated to store the object’s properties, and the constructor is automatically called for initialization. When using the object, you can access its members by using the object name followed by a dot operator.

By using classes, you can encapsulate related data and methods together, providing a higher level and organized way of programming, making the code easier to read, maintain, and extend.