Automatic Setup and Cleanup

When you create a new object, you usually want to set its starting values immediately. C++ provides a special function called a Constructor to handle this automatically.

The Constructor

1. It has the exact same name as the class.
2. It has no return type (not even void).
3. It is called automatically the millisecond the object is created.

class Player {
  public:
    int health;
    Player() { // Default Constructor
        health = 100;
    }
    Player(int h) { // Parameterized Constructor
        health = h;
    }
};

The Destructor

Just as objects are born, they eventually "die" (when they go out of scope). The Destructor is a special function called automatically to clean up.

• Name: ~ClassName (Tilde followed by name).
• Use Case: Freeing dynamic memory (delete), closing database connections, or saving a log file.

Constructor Overloading

You can have many constructors as long as they take different types of data. C++ will figure out which one to call based on the arguments you provide.

Initialization Lists (Pro Tip)

A faster, modern way to set values in a constructor:

Player(int h, int m) : health(h), mana(m) {} // Very efficient

If you don't write a constructor, C++ creates a invisible "Default" one for you. But as soon as you write any constructor, C++ stops providing the default one.