The main difference between a pure virtual function and a virtual function is: That a pure virtual function cannot have an implementation. The return type. The member access specifier. The location in the class.

A pure virtual function is essentially a placeholder in a base class that enforces derived classes to provide an implementation for it, making the base class abstract. This means you cannot instantiate the base class directly, leading to a more structured and enforceable design in object-oriented programming. Think of it as declaring a must-have feature that all subclasses need to build upon. On the other hand, a regular virtual function can have both an implementation in the base class and can also be overridden in derived classes. This flexibility allows you to provide default behavior in the base class while still giving derived classes the option to extend or modify that behavior as needed. It's like having a guideline that can be followed, but with the freedom to adapt!