Description: In C++, a ‘friend’ is a function or a class that has access to the private and protected members of another class. This concept is fundamental in object-oriented programming, as it allows for greater flexibility in the interaction between classes. By declaring a function or class as a friend, special privileges are granted that allow access to the internal data of another class, which can be useful for implementing operations that require a deep understanding of the class’s internal structure. However, the use of friends should be considered carefully, as it can break encapsulation, one of the key principles of object-oriented programming. The declaration of a friend is made within the class that wishes to grant access, using the keyword ‘friend’. This allows the friend function or class to access private and protected members, thus facilitating collaboration between different components of the code. While the use of friends can simplify certain interactions, it can also lead to less clean design if abused, so it is important to find an appropriate balance in its application.
