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Effective C++

Effective C++ Author: Scott Meyers Publisher: Addison-Wesley Published: 2007 Pages: 297

Effective C++

Effective C++ Chapters

Effective C++ Chapters

1. Accustomising Yourself to C++
   • View C++ as a federation of languages.
   • Prefer consts, enums, and inlines to #defines
   • Use const whenever possible.
   • Make sure that objects are initialized before they're used.
2. Constructors, Destructors and Assignment Operators
   • Know what functions C++ silently writes and calls.
   • Explicitly disallow the use of computer-generated functions you do not want.
   • Declare destructors virtual in polymorphic base classes.
   • Prevent exceptions from leaving destructors.
   • Never call virtual functions during construction or destruction.
   • Have assignment operators return a reference to *this.
   • Handle assignment to self in operator=.
   • Copy all parts of an object.
3. Resource Management
   • Use objects to manage resources.
   • Think carefully about copying behavior in resources-managing classes.
   • Provide access to raw resources in resource-management classes.
   • Use the same form in corresponding uses of new and delete
   • Store newed objects in smart pointers in standalone statements.
4. Designs and Declarations
   • Make interfaces easy to use correctly and hard to use incorrectly.
   • Treat class design as type design.
   • Prefer pass-by-references-to-const to pass-by-value.
   • Don't try to return a reference when you must return an object.
   • Declare data members private.
   • Prefer non-member non friend functions to member functions.
   • Declare non-member functions when type conversions should apply to all parameters.
   • Consider support for a non-throwing swap.
5. Implementations
   • Postpones variable definitions as long as possible.
   • Minimize casting.
   • Avoid returning 'handles' to object internals.
   • Strive for exception-safe code.
   • Understanding the ins and outs of inlining.
   • Minimize compilation dependencies between files.
6. Inheritance and Object Orientated Design
   • Making sure public inheritance model 'is-a.'
   • Avoid hiding inherited names
   • Differentiate between inheritance of interface and inheritance of implementation.
   • Consider alternatives to virtual functions.
   • Never redefine an inherited non-virtual function.
   • Never redefine a function's inherited default parameter value.
   • Model 'has-a' or 'is-implemented-in-terms-of' through composition.
   • Use private inheritance judiciously.
   • Use multiple inheritance judiciously.
7. Templates and Generic Programming
   • Understand implicit interfaces and compile-time polymorphism.
   • Understand the two meanings of typename.
   • Know how to access names in templatized base classes.
   • Factor parameter-independent code out of templates.
   • Use member function templates to accept 'all compatible types.'
   • Define non-member functions inside templates when type conversions are desired.
   • Use traits classes for information about types.
   • Be aware of template metaprogramming.
8. Customizing new and delete
   • Understand the behavior of the new handler
   • Understand when it makes sense to replace new and delete.
   • Adhere to convention when writing new and delete.
   • Write placement delete if you write placement new.
9. Miscellany
   • Pay attention to compiler warnings.
   • Familiarize yourself with the standard library, including TR1.
   • Familiarize yourself with Boost.

Effective C++ Appendices

1. Beyond Effective C++
2. Item Mappings Between Second and Third Editions
3. Index