Summer’s over — what’s your move? Join Pro for 50% off using code [MAKEITHAPPEN](https://www.codecademy.com/checkout?periods=year&plan_id=proGoldAnnualV2&discountCode=MAKEITHAPPEN)


Learn how to build your own C++ data types with classes and objects. 

Classes and Objects

Let's circle back to that `public` keyword. What was that about?

By default, everything in a class is `private`, meaning class members are limited to the scope of the class. This makes it easier to keep data from mistakenly being altered, and abstracts away all the nitty gritty details. If you try to access a private class member, you'll get an error:

```error
error: 'population' is a private member of 'City'
```

But sometimes you need access to class members, and for that, there is `public`. You can use it to make everything below accessible outside the class:

```cpp
class City {

  int population; 
  
public: // stuff below is public
  void add_resident() { 
    population++;
  }

};
```

There is also a `private` access modifier for when you want something below `public` to be private to the class:

```cpp
class City {

  int population; 
  
public:
  void add_resident() { 
    population++;
  }
  
private: // this stuff is private
  bool is_capital;

};
```

Access Control: Public and Private

Is there a way to give an object some data right when it gets created? We're so glad you asked!

A _constructor_ is a special kind of method that lets you decide how the objects of a class get created. It has the same name as the class and no return type. Constructors really shine when you want to instantiate an object with specific attributes. 

If we want to make sure each `City` is created with a name and a population, we can use parameters and a member initializer list to initialize attributes to values passed in:
```cpp
// city.hpp
#include "city.hpp"

class City {
 
  std::string name;
  int population;

public:
  City(std::string new_name, int new_pop);

};

// city.cpp
City::City(std::string new_name, int new_pop)
  // members get initialized to values passed in 
  : name(new_name), population(new_pop) {}
```

You could also write the definition like this:

```cpp
City::City(std::string new_name, int new_pop) {
  name = new_name;
  population = new_pop;
}
```

However, a member initialization list allows you to directly initialize each member when it gets created.

To instantiate an object with attributes, you can do:

```cpp
// inside main()
City ankara("Ankara", 5445000);
```

Now we have a `City` called `ankara` with the following attributes:
- `ankara.name` set to `"Ankara"`.
- `ankara.population` set to `5445000`.



Constructors

So far, you've learned how to create and use objects. But there's another part of the object lifecycle we need to cover: how to destroy them! Muahahaha.

It's actually far less nefarious than it sounds; object destruction is really about tidying up and preventing memory leaks. A _destructor_ is a special method that handles object destruction. Like a constructor, it has the same name as the class and no return type, but is preceded by a `~` operator and takes no parameters:

```cpp
// city.hpp
class City {
 
  std::string name;
  int population;
 
public:
  City(std::string new_name, int new_pop);
  ~City();
};
 
// city.cpp
City::~City() {
  
  // any final cleanup
  
}
```

Inside, you add any housekeeping that needs to happen before the object is destroyed. You generally won't need to call a destructor; the destructor will be called automatically in any of the following scenarios:

- The object moves out of scope.
- The object is explicitly deleted.
- When the program ends.


Destructors

An empty class is pretty useless. Classes are designed to bring together related information and functionality — time to add stuff inside! 

Components of a class are called _class members_. Just like you can get a string's length using `.length()`, you can access class members using the dot operator (`object.class_member`). 

There are two types of class members:
- _Attributes_, also known as _member data_, consist of information about an instance of the class.
- _Methods_, also known as _member functions_, are functions that you can use with an instance of the class. We use a `.` before method names to distinguish them from regular functions.

We _encapsulate_ — or enclose for simpler user access — attributes and methods in a class like this:

```cpp
class City {

  // attribute
  int population;

// we'll explain 'public' later
public:
  // method
  void add_resident() {
    population++;
  }
};
```

Unless we have a mostly empty class, it's common to split function declarations from definitions. We declare methods inside the class (in a header), then define the methods outside the class (in a **.cpp** file of the same name). 

How can we define methods outside a class? We can do this using `ClassName::` before the method name to indicate its class like this:
```cpp
// city.hpp
class City {
  int population;

public:
  int get_population();
};
```
```cpp
// city.cpp
#include "city.hpp"

int City::get_population() {
  return population;
}
```
In the preceding code sample, we declare `.get_population()` in the header file, **city.hpp**. Unlike with regular functions, we need to `include` the header file in the **.cpp** file where we define the methods, which we have done at the top of **city.cpp**. Then, we provide the definition for `.get_population()`, which returns the value of the `population` attribute. 

Notice how you are able to access `population` within **city.cpp** even though it was declared within **city.hpp**! Since it was declared in the `City` class, it will be accessible to any method that is also declared in the `City` class.

**Note:** We must declare a method inside the class if we want to define it outside.


Class Members

So far, we've used several data types, including `int`, `double`, `std::string`, and `bool`. When we work with `int` or `std::string`, we can create variables with certain properties and methods specific to those types. For example:

```cpp
int age = 33;
age++; // age is now 34
```

But what happens when you want to create a "type" for something else? You can make your own! Bjarne Stroustrup developed C++ because he wanted to add a feature known as "classes" to the C language. A C++ _class_ is a user-defined type.

The class serves as a blueprint for _objects_, which are instances of the class (just like `age` is an instance of `int`). An object gets characteristics and behaviors from its class.

We can create an empty C++ class like this in a header file:
```cpp
class City {
  
}; // <-- notice this semicolon!
```
**Fun fact:** C++'s original name was "C with Classes."

Getting Classy with C++

Hooray! You've learned the basics of classes and objects in C++:

- Classes are user-defined types.
- Objects are instances of classes.
- Class members are the data attributes and functions inside of a class.
- Creating a new object from a class is called instantiation.
- Class members can be designated as either `private` or `public` — they are `private` by default.
- You can create a constructor to instantiate objects in a particular way.
- A destructor allows you to execute any cleanup necessary before an object gets destroyed.

Review

Now that you have a class, let's create some objects! To refresh your memory, an object is an instance of a class, which encapsulates data and functionality pertaining to that data.

To create (or instantiate) an object, we can do this:
```cpp
City accra;
```
We can give the object's attributes values like this (note that these must be attributes you defined in the class):
```cpp
accra.population = 2270000;
```
Later, we can access this information using the method we added to the `City` class (if it's in a `public` part of the class):
```cpp
accra.get_population();
```
