How do I write EBO-friendly classes (empty base optimization) for embedded systems?

In C++, the Empty Base Optimization (EBO) allows classes with empty base classes to have their size reduced to the size of the derived class alone, rather than including the size of the empty base class. This can be especially beneficial in embedded systems where memory is limited.

To write EBO-friendly classes, the following guidelines should be followed:

• Use empty base classes for shared functionality.
• Avoid virtual inheritance, as it prevents EBO.
• Utilize templates to increase reuse while maintaining low memory overhead.

Here's an example demonstrating how to implement EBO-friendly classes in C++:

class Base {
    // This is an empty base class
};

class Derived : public Base {
    int data;
    
public:
    Derived(int value) : data(value) {}
    int getData() const { return data; }
};

int main() {
    Derived d(10);
    return d.getData(); // Outputs: 10
}