What does operator overloading mean?

Operator overloading refers to the ability to redefine the way standard operators work with user-defined types, such as classes. When you overload an operator, you create a custom implementation that dictates how the operator behaves when applied to instances of your class. This allows objects of the class to be used in expressions just like built-in types, making the code more intuitive and readable.

For example, if you have a class representing complex numbers, you might overload the "+" operator so that when two instances of your complex number class are added together, the addition behaves according to the rules of complex number addition rather than defaulting to the behavior associated with built-in data types.

This capability enhances the flexibility of your classes and allows them to integrate seamlessly with the C++ (or other programming language) syntax. Operator overloading significantly contributes to the principle of making code more object-oriented and expressive, thereby fostering clearer and more maintainable code.