C++ dynamic_cast Use Cases

dynamic_cast is a type conversion operator in C++ that allows safe downcasting at runtime. It is used for several scenarios, including:

1. Polymorphism in inheritance: dynamic_cast can be used to convert a base class pointer or reference into a derived class pointer or reference. This allows for determining the actual type of an object at runtime and calling the appropriate methods.
2. Safety check of types: dynamic_cast can be used to check if a pointer or reference can be converted to a specific target type. If the conversion fails, dynamic_cast will return a null pointer or reference.
3. To access members specific to the derived class, one can convert the base class pointer or reference to a derived class pointer or reference.

It should be noted that dynamic_cast can only be used to convert pointers or references of classes with virtual functions, and it incurs a higher cost for runtime type checking. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid using dynamic_cast frequently and instead opt for static_cast or other suitable types of conversion whenever possible.