Difference Between Structure and Class

In this post, we will understand the difference between structure and class.

Class

• It is defined using ‘class’ keyword.

• When data is defined in a class, it is stored in memory as a reference.

• It gets memory allocated only when an object of that class is created.

• The reference type (before creating an object) is allocated on heap memory.

• They can have constructors and destructors.

• It can use inheritance to inherit properties from base class.

• The ‘protected’ access modifier can be used with the data members defined inside the class.

Structure

• The ‘struct’ keyword is used to define a structure.

• Every member in the structure is provided with a unique memory location.

• When the value of one data member is changed, it doesn’t affect other data members in structure.

• It helps initialize multiple members at once.

• Total size of the structure is equivalent to the sum of the size of every data member.

• It is used to store various data types.

• It takes memory for every member which is present within the structure.

• A member can be retrieved at a time.

• It supports flexible arrays.

• Its instance can be created without a keyword.

• It doesn’t support protected access modifier.

• It doesn’t support inheritance.

• It doesn’t have a constructor or destructor.

• The values allocated to structures are stored in stack memory.