C++ Function Overloading, Pointers, References, and Default Parameters

Overview

Professional C++ demonstration showcasing core Object-Oriented Programming concepts including function overloading, pointer/reference parameter passing, and default parameters.

Technical Skills Demonstrated

Core C++ Concepts

• Function Overloading: Multiple functions with same name, different signatures
• Pointer Parameters: Pass-by-pointer with null safety checks
• Reference Parameters: Pass-by-reference (preferred method)
• Default Parameters: Optional function parameters with default values
• Struct Manipulation: Custom data types and operations
• Type-based Overloading: Function overloading based on parameter types

Professional Practices

• Modern C++17: Using latest language standards
• Comprehensive Documentation: Detailed function and parameter documentation
• Error Handling: Null pointer checks and exception safety
• Code Organization: Clean separation of interface and implementation
• Build System: Professional Makefile with proper compilation flags
• Memory Safety: Safe pointer operations and bounds checking

Project Structure

Project1/
├── main.cpp      - Main demonstration program
├── utils.h       - Function declarations and struct definitions
└── utils.cpp     - Function implementations
Makefile          - Build configuration
README.md         - Project documentation

Building and Running

Prerequisites

• C++17 compatible compiler (g++, clang++)
• Make build system

Build Instructions

make                    # Build the project
./function_overloading_demo  # Run the demonstration
make clean             # Clean build artifacts

Features Demonstrated

1. Function Overloading

• max(int, int) - Two parameter maximum
• max(int, int, int) - Three parameter maximum
• max(int[]) - Array maximum
• max(int[], int[]) -

2. Parameter Passing Methods

• Pointer-based: swap(int*, int*) - Traditional C-style
• Reference-based: swap(int&, int&) - Modern C++ style
• Struct operations: Both pointer and reference versions for custom types

3. Default Parameters

• multiply(int, int, int = 1) - Third parameter optional
• Demonstrates function signature ambiguity resolution

4. Type-based Overloading

• multiply(int, int, int) - Integer multiplication
• multiply(double, double) - Floating-point multiplication

Code Quality Features

• Const Correctness: Proper use of const parameters
• Null Safety: Pointer validation before dereferencing
• STL Integration: Using std::swap for efficient operations
• Exception Safety: Try-catch blocks in main function
• Modern Formatting: Consistent indentation and naming

Learning Outcomes

This project demonstrates understanding of:

• C++ function overloading resolution rules
• Memory management with pointers and references
• Professional C++ coding standards
• Build system configuration
• Documentation best practices

Recruitment Readiness

• Compiles without warnings with strict flags (-Wall -Wextra)
• Demonstrates multiple advanced C++ concepts
• Professional code organization and documentation
• Modern C++ standards compliance
• Proper error handling and safety checks