Java Glossary : virtual

Java definitions: 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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virtual: "Virtual" in C++ means "overrideable". In Java all methods are assumed overrideable unless marked final (or private which implies final). Virtual has yet another meaning in C++. When you inherit from several classes, which may share a common subclass, in C++ you have to decide how many copies of the base class variables you want -- a shared or separate embedded in this new object. "virtual" refers to using a single shared copy. In Java you can inherit from only one class, so the problem never comes up.
JVM ¤ pure virtual

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