Virtual method table

Imagine you have lots of toys and they all have different shapes and sizes. Now imagine you are building a toy box with different compartments to store each toy based on its shape and size.

Similarly, a computer program has several different types of objects, each with their own methods (things they can do). But the computer needs to know which method belongs to which object, just like you need to know which toy belongs in which compartment.

This is where the virtual method table (VMT) comes in. It's like a table of contents in a book where you can quickly find what you're looking for. The VMT is a table that keeps track of all the methods of an object and their order in memory.

Every time a method is called on an object, the program looks up the corresponding method in the VMT and calls it. This ensures that the correct method is always called for each object, just like how you make sure each toy goes in the right compartment.

So, think of the VMT as a special list that tells the computer where all the methods are stored and how to access them. It helps the program keep track of all the different objects and their methods, just like your toy box helps you keep track of all your toys.