Differentiate virtual and pure virtual functions
Company: TikTok
Role: Machine Learning Engineer
Category: Coding & Algorithms
Difficulty: medium
Interview Round: Technical Screen
In C++, what is the difference between a virtual function and a pure virtual function? Provide syntax examples, describe dynamic dispatch via the vtable, and explain how overriding works. When does a class become abstract, and can a pure virtual function still have a definition? Discuss whether constructors or destructors should be virtual, implications for resource management, and guidelines on when to use each in interface design.
Quick Answer: This interview question evaluates algorithm design, data structures, correctness, complexity, edge cases, and implementation details in a realistic interview setting. A strong answer for Differentiate virtual and pure virtual functions states assumptions, handles edge cases, explains trade-offs, and shows how to validate the result clearly.
Solution
# Solution Alignment
The prompt asks for an implementation-level answer. The safest way to present it is to define the state, maintain clear invariants, then walk through complexity and tests.
## Problem Restatement
In C++, what is the difference between a virtual function and a pure virtual function? Provide syntax examples, describe dynamic dispatch via the vtable, and explain how overriding works. When does a class become abstract, and can a pure virtual function still have a definition? Discuss whether constructors or destructors should be virtual, implications for resource management, and guidelines on when to use each in interface design.
## Recommended Approach
Choose traversal based on the required output. DFS is natural for subtree computations, reconstruction, and range pruning; BFS is natural for level order or side views. Keep per-depth or per-position state when the output depends on columns, rows, or depths.
## Correctness
The implementation should maintain an invariant after each loop or operation that directly matches the problem statement. At termination, that invariant implies the returned value has considered every valid candidate exactly once, or has preserved the required data-structure state after every API call.
## Complexity
Most tree traversals are O(n) time and O(h) recursion stack for DFS or O(w) queue space for BFS, where h is height and w is maximum width.
## Edge Cases and Tests
Empty tree, one node, skewed tree, duplicate values when reconstruction assumes uniqueness, deep recursion, and tie-breaking for same row/column nodes.