Runtime Type Information
Runtime Type Information (RTTI) is a programming language feature that allows a program to inspect and manipulate the type of an object at runtime, rather than just at compile time. It enables dynamic type checking, type identification, and safe downcasting in object-oriented languages, providing flexibility in handling polymorphic objects. This is commonly used in languages like C++ and Java to support features such as dynamic_cast or instanceof operations.
Developers should learn and use RTTI when building applications that require dynamic polymorphism, such as in frameworks for serialization, reflection, or debugging tools where object types need to be determined at runtime. It is essential in scenarios involving heterogeneous collections, plugin architectures, or when implementing design patterns like Visitor or Factory, as it allows for safe type conversions and error handling without hardcoding type checks.