Does final imply override?

Question

As I understand it, the override keyword states that a given declaration implements a base virtual method, and the compilation should fail if there is

Answer 1

(Skip to the end to see the conclusion if you're in a hurry.)

Both override and final can appear only in declaration in a virtual function. And both key words can be used in the same function declaration, but whether it is useful to use them both depends on situations.

Take the following code as an example:

#include 
using std::cout; using std::endl;

struct B {
  virtual void f1() { cout << "B::f1() "; }
  virtual void f2() { cout << "B::f2() "; }
  virtual void f3() { cout << "B::f3() "; }
  virtual void f6() final { cout << "B::f6() "; }
  void f7() { cout << "B::f7() "; }
  void f8() { cout << "B::f8() "; }
  void f9() { cout << "B::f9() "; }
};

struct D : B {
  void f1() override { cout << "D::f1() "; }
  void f2() final { cout << "D::f2() "; }
  void f3() override final { cout << "D::f3() "; }  // need not have override
  // should have override, otherwise add new virtual function
  virtual void f4() final { cout << "D::f4() "; }
  //virtual void f5() override final;  // Error, no virtual function in base class
  //void f6(); // Error, override a final virtual function
  void f7() { cout << "D::f7() "; }
  virtual void f8() { cout << "D::f8() "; }
  //void f9() override;  // Error, override a nonvirtual function 
};

int main() {
  B b; D d;
  B *bp = &b, *bd = &d; D *dp = &d;
  bp->f1(); bp->f2(); bp->f3(); bp->f6(); bp->f7(); bp->f8(); bp->f9(); cout << endl;
  bd->f1(); bd->f2(); bd->f3(); bd->f6(); bd->f7(); bd->f8(); bd->f9(); cout << endl;
  dp->f1(); dp->f2(); dp->f3(); dp->f6(); dp->f7(); dp->f8(); dp->f9(); cout << endl;
  return 0;
}

The output is

B::f1() B::f2() B::f3() B::f6() B::f7() B::f8() B::f9()
D::f1() D::f2() D::f3() B::f6() B::f7() B::f8() B::f9()
D::f1() D::f2() D::f3() B::f6() D::f7() D::f8() B::f9()

1. Compare f1() and f6(). We know that override and final is indepent sematically.

   • override means the function is overriding a virtual function in its base class. See f1() and f3().
   • final means the function cannot be overrided by its derived class. (But the function itself need not override a base class virtual function.) See f6() and f4().

2. Compare f2() and f3(). We know that if a member function is declared without virtual and with final, it means that it already override a virtual function in base class. In this case, the key word override is redundant.

3. Compare f4() and f5(). We know that if a member function is declared with virtualand if it is not the first virtual function in inheritance hierarchy, then we should use override to specify the override relationship. Otherwise, we may accidentally add new virtual function in derived class.

4. Compare f1() and f7(). We know that any member function, not just virtual ones, can be overridden in derived class. What virtual specifies is polymorphism, which means the decision as to which function to run is delayed until run time instead of compile time. (This should be avoid in practice.)

5. Compare f7() and f8(). We know that we can even override a base class function and make it a new virtual one. (Which means any member function f8() of class derived from D will be virtual.) (This should be avoid in practice too.)

6. Compare f7() and f9(). We know that override can help us find the error when we want to override a virtual function in derived class while forgot to add key word virtual in base class.

In conclusion, the best practice in my own view is:

• only use virtual in declaration of the first virtual function in base class;
• always use override to specify override virtual function in derived class, unless final is also specified.