Empty Structs

What this C++ struct size question tests

This is a quick, easy conceptual question about C++ memory layout and the object model. It probes whether you understand how the language allocates space for structs, particularly edge cases around empty classes and methods.

The question rewards precise knowledge of the C++ standard rather than runtime experimentation. It tests your grasp of how member functions are stored (or not stored) relative to instance data, and what happens when a struct has no data members at all. Quant firms ask these kinds of questions to verify that candidates have solid language foundations before moving to more complex algorithmic or system-design problems.

• The C++ object model and memory representation
• Distinction between member functions and member data
• The empty base optimization and related rules