What is the purpose of the “final” keyword in C++11 for functions?

Question

What is the purpose of the final keyword in C++11 for functions? I understand it prevents function overriding by derived classes, but if this is the case, then

Answer 1

final adds an explicit intent to not have your function overridden, and will cause a compiler error should this be violated:

struct A {
    virtual int foo(); // #1
};
struct B : A {
    int foo();
};

As the code stands, it compiles, and B::foo overrides A::foo. B::foo is also virtual, by the way. However, if we change #1 to virtual int foo() final, then this is a compiler error, and we are not allowed to override A::foo any further in derived classes.

Note that this does not allow us to "reopen" a new hierarchy, i.e. there's no way to make B::foo a new, unrelated function that can be independently at the head of a new virtual hierarchy. Once a function is final, it can never be declared again in any derived class.

Answer 2

Final keyword in C++ when added to a function, prevents it from being overridden by a base class. Also when added to a class prevents inheritance of any type. Consider the following example which shows use of final specifier. This program fails in compilation.

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Base
{
  public:
  virtual void myfun() final
  {
    cout << "myfun() in Base";
  }
};
class Derived : public Base
{
  void myfun()
  {
    cout << "myfun() in Derived\n";
  }
};

int main()
{
  Derived d;
  Base &b = d;
  b.myfun();
  return 0;
}

Also:

#include <iostream>
class Base final
{
};

class Derived : public Base
{
};

int main()
{
  Derived d;
  return 0;
}

Answer 3

What you are missing, as idljarn already mentioned in a comment is that if you are overriding a function from a base class, then you cannot possibly mark it as non-virtual:

struct base {
   virtual void f();
};
struct derived : base {
   void f() final;       // virtual as it overrides base::f
};
struct mostderived : derived {
   //void f();           // error: cannot override!
};

Answer 4

• It is to prevent a class from being inherited. From Wikipedia:

  C++11 also adds the ability to prevent inheriting from classes or simply preventing overriding methods in derived classes. This is done with the special identifier final. For example:

  struct Base1 final { };
  
  struct Derived1 : Base1 { }; // ill-formed because the class Base1 
                               // has been marked final
  

• It is also used to mark a virtual function so as to prevent it from being overridden in the derived classes:

  struct Base2 {
      virtual void f() final;
  };
  
  struct Derived2 : Base2 {
      void f(); // ill-formed because the virtual function Base2::f has 
                // been marked final
  };
  

Wikipedia further makes an interesting point:

Note that neither override nor final are language keywords. They are technically identifiers; they only gain special meaning when used in those specific contexts. In any other location, they can be valid identifiers.

That means, the following is allowed:

int const final = 0;     // ok
int const override = 1;  // ok