C++ Programming - Objects and Classes - Discussion

The friend keyword cannot be used because it is a correct keyword c++ can code correct keywords only. So, c++ cannot code the friend keyword.

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
class abc
{
private:
int a=4;
public:
friend int main();
};
int main()
{
abc obj;
cout<<obj.a;
return 0;
}

This program runs and prints 4.

@ALL.

The main is non-member fuction of a class so we cant use friend function in main().

Yes, we can access private data member of a class by using friend keyword in that class with its class name.

I thought the Friend function is used to access private members of any class.

Friend function is not a member function of class, friend function is declared inside the class but it is defined outside the class.

Friend function is used to access private data members of one class to another.

Wrong answer.

Friend is only used in class not in main.

Because It is often useful for one class to see the private variables of another class, even though these variables should probably not be made part of the public interface that the class supports.

For instance, if you were writing a binary tree, you might want to use a Node class that has private data, but it would still be convenient for the functions that actually combine nodes together to be able to access the data directly without having to work through the Node interface.

At times, it may not even be appropriate for an accessors function to ever give even indirect access to the data.

A friend function that is a "friend" of a given class is allowed access to private and protected data in that class that it would not normally be able to as if the data was public.

Normally, a function that is defined outside of a class cannot access such information. Friend function can't declare in main() function.

A friend function is used to access private data of its friend class into out of class therefore the friend function can not be declared in main () function but it can be accessed in main class.