Question

A(n _________ is a special constructor, called whenever a new object is initialized with another object's data.

Short answer

Answer: Copy constructor

Step-by-step solution

Identify the term related to Object-Oriented Programming

The term we are looking for is a concept used in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) languages like Java, Python, or C++. It describes a special constructor that is called when an object is initialized using data from another object.

Fill in the blank with the correct term

The term we are looking for is "copy constructor". A copy constructor is called whenever a new object is initialized using another object's data in an object-oriented programming scenario. So, the complete sentence would be: "A copy constructor is a special constructor, called whenever a new object is initialized with another object's data."

Key concepts

Object-Oriented Programming

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm centered around the concept of 'objects', which can contain data in the form of fields (often known as attributes or properties) and code in the form of procedures (often known as methods). OOP languages, such as C++, Java, and Python, provide a structure that allows code to be organized as reusable components.

The basic idea behind OOP is to divide complex problems into smaller sets by creating objects. These objects interact with one another, thereby creating a system. This paradigm is known for its ability to model real-world entities, encapsulate data and operations, and support the principles of inheritance and polymorphism, crucial for reusability and flexibility of code.

C++

C++ is a high-level programming language developed by Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C programming language. It's one of the most popular languages for system/software development and game programming.

C++ introduces object-oriented features, such as classes and objects, enabling the creation and manipulation of complex data structures. This language provides a rich set of built-in libraries and functions, and it emphasizes performance, efficiency, and flexibility of use. It's compiled, allowing direct manipulation of system resources and hardware, which is why it's used extensively in high-performance and low-level programming.

Constructor

In C++ and other object-oriented languages, a constructor is a special member function of a class that is executed whenever we create new objects of that class. It serves a crucial role in initializing an object's member variables with specific values.

Constructors have the same name as the class and do not return any type, not even void. They can be overloaded with different sets of parameters to allow the creation of objects with different initial states. A default constructor has no parameters, while a parameterized constructor has a list of parameters to initialize the object with specific attribute values. Constructors provide flexibility and control over the initialization process of objects.

Object Initialization

Object initialization in C++ refers to the process of allocating memory for an object and setting its member variables to their initial values. This process typically involves invoking a constructor. For instances where we want to create a new object as a copy of an existing object, C++ provides a special mechanism known as the 'copy constructor'.

A copy constructor takes a reference to an object of the same class and initializes the new object with the values of the passed object. This is extremely important for cases where an object holds resources that are outside of the object itself, such as dynamically allocated memory or file handles, providing control over how these resources are copied.