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C++ Coding Standards: 101 Rules, Guidelines, and Best Practices

Compile cleanly at high warning levels

1. Compile cleanly at high warning levels SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

Use an automated build system

2. Use an automated build system SummaryDiscussionReferences...

read more: Use an automated build system

Use a version control system

3. Use a version control system SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

read more: Use a version control system

Invest in code reviews

4. Invest in code reviews SummaryDiscussionReferences...

read more: Invest in code reviews

Give one entity one cohesive responsibility

5. Give one entity one cohesive responsibility SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Correctness, simplicity, and clarity come first

6. Correctness, simplicity, and clarity come first SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Know when and how to code for scalability

7. Know when and how to code for scalability SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Don't optimize prematurely

8. Don't optimize prematurely SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

read more: Don't optimize prematurely

Don't pessimize prematurely

9. Don't pessimize prematurely SummaryDiscussionReferences...

read more: Don't pessimize prematurely

Minimize global and shared data

10. Minimize global and shared data SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Hide information

11. Hide information SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

read more: Hide information

Know when and how to code for concurrency

12. Know when and how to code for concurrency SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Ensure resources are owned by objects. Use explicit RAII and smart pointers

13. Ensure resources are owned by objects. Use explicit RAII and smart pointers SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by Trial version...

Prefer compile- and link-time errors to run-time errors

14. Prefer compile- and link-time errors to run-time errors SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

Use const proactively

15. Use const proactively SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

read more: Use const proactively

Avoid macros

16. Avoid macros SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

read more: Avoid macros

Avoid magic numbers

17. Avoid magic numbers SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

read more: Avoid magic numbers

Declare variables as locally as possible

18. Declare variables as locally as possible SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Always initialize variables

19. Always initialize variables SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

read more: Always initialize variables

Avoid long functions. Avoid deep nesting

20. Avoid long functions. Avoid deep nesting SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Avoid initialization dependencies across compilation units

21. Avoid initialization dependencies across compilation units SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Minimize definitional dependencies. Avoid cyclic dependencies

22. Minimize definitional dependencies. Avoid cyclic dependencies SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Make header files self-sufficient

23. Make header files self-sufficient SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Always write internal #include guards. Never write external #include guards

24. Always write internal #include guards. Never write external #include guards SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Take parameters appropriately by value, (smart) pointer, or reference

25. Take parameters appropriately by value, (smart) pointer, or reference SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Preserve natural semantics for overloaded operators

26. Preserve natural semantics for overloaded operators SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

None27.Prefer the canonical forms of arithmetic and assignment operators

None 27. Prefer the canonical forms of arithmetic and assignment operators SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

Prefer the canonical form of ++ and --. Prefer calling the prefix forms

28. Prefer the canonical form of ++ and --. Prefer calling the prefix forms SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by Trial...

Consider overloading to avoid implicit type conversions

29. Consider overloading to avoid implicit type conversions SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Avoid overloading &&, ||, or , (comma)

30. Avoid overloading &&, ||, or , (comma) SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

Don't write code that depends on the order of evaluation of function arguments

31. Don't write code that depends on the order of evaluation of function arguments SummaryDiscussionReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by Trial...

Be clear what kind of class you're writing

32. Be clear what kind of class you're writing SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Prefer minimal classes to monolithic classes

33. Prefer minimal classes to monolithic classes SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Prefer composition to inheritance

34. Prefer composition to inheritance SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Avoid inheriting from classes that were not designed to be base classes

35. Avoid inheriting from classes that were not designed to be base classes SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by Trial version...

Prefer providing abstract interfaces

36. Prefer providing abstract interfaces SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

Public inheritance is substitutability. Inherit, not to reuse, but to be reused

37. Public inheritance is substitutability. Inherit, not to reuse, but to be reused SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by Trial version...

Practice safe overriding

38. Practice safe overriding SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

read more: Practice safe overriding

Consider making virtual functions nonpublic, and public functions nonvirtual

39. Consider making virtual functions nonpublic, and public functions nonvirtual SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Avoid providing implicit conversions

40. Avoid providing implicit conversions SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

Make data members private, except in behaviorless aggregates (C-style structs)

41. Make data members private, except in behaviorless aggregates (C-style structs) SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

Don't give away your internals

42. Don't give away your internals SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

read more: Don't give away your internals

Pimpl judiciously

43. Pimpl judiciously SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

read more: Pimpl judiciously

Prefer writing nonmember nonfriend functions

44. Prefer writing nonmember nonfriend functions SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Always provide new and delete together

45. Always provide new and delete together SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

If you provide any class-specific new, provide all of the standard forms (plain, in-place, and nothrow)

46. If you provide any class-specific new, provide all of the standard forms (plain, in-place, and nothrow) SummaryDiscussionReferences The CHM file was converted to...

Define and initialize member variables in the same order

47. Define and initialize member variables in the same order SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Prefer initialization to assignment in constructors

48. Prefer initialization to assignment in constructors SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Avoid calling virtual functions in constructors and destructors

49. Avoid calling virtual functions in constructors and destructors SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Make base class destructors public and virtual, or protected and nonvirtual

50. Make base class destructors public and virtual, or protected and nonvirtual SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by Trial version of...

Destructors, deallocation, and swap never fail

51. Destructors, deallocation, and swap never fail SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Copy and destroy consistently

52. Copy and destroy consistently SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

read more: Copy and destroy consistently

Explicitly enable or disable copying

53. Explicitly enable or disable copying SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Avoid slicing. Consider Clone instead of copying in base classes

54. Avoid slicing. Consider Clone instead of copying in base classes SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Prefer the canonical form of assignment

55. Prefer the canonical form of assignment SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Whenever it makes sense, provide a no-fail swap (and provide it correctly)

56. Whenever it makes sense, provide a no-fail swap (and provide it correctly) SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by Trial version...

Keep a type and its nonmember function interface in the same namespace

57. Keep a type and its nonmember function interface in the same namespace SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by Trial version...

Keep types and functions in separate namespaces unless they're specifically intended to work together

58. Keep types and functions in separate namespaces unless they're specifically intended to work together SummaryDiscussionReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by...

Don't write namespace usings in a header file or before an #include

59. Don't write namespace usings in a header file or before an #include SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by Trial version...

Avoid allocating and deallocating memory in different modules

60. Avoid allocating and deallocating memory in different modules SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Don't define entities with linkage in a header file

61. Don't define entities with linkage in a header file SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Don't allow exceptions to propagate across module boundaries

62. Don't allow exceptions to propagate across module boundaries SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Use sufficiently portable types in a module's interface

Use sufficiently portable types in a module's interface SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Blend static and dynamic polymorphism judiciously

64. Blend static and dynamic polymorphism judiciously SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Customize intentionally and explicitly

65. Customize intentionally and explicitly SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Don't specialize function templates

66. Don't specialize function templates SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Don't write unintentionally nongeneric code

67. Don't write unintentionally nongeneric code SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Assert liberally to document internal assumptions and invariants

68. Assert liberally to document internal assumptions and invariants SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Establish a rational error handling policy, and follow it strictly

69. Establish a rational error handling policy, and follow it strictly SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Distinguish between errors and non-errors

70. Distinguish between errors and non-errors SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Design and write error-safe code

71. Design and write error-safe code SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Prefer to use exceptions to report errors

72. Prefer to use exceptions to report errors SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

Throw by value, catch by reference

73. Throw by value, catch by reference...

Report, handle, and translate errors appropriately

74. Report, handle, and translate errors appropriately SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

Avoid exception specifications

75. Avoid exception specifications SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences...

read more: Avoid exception specifications

Use vector by default. Otherwise, choose an appropriate container

76. Use vector by default. Otherwise, choose an appropriate container SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Use vector and string instead of arrays

77. Use vector and string instead of arrays SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Use vector (and string::c_str) to exchange data with non-C++ APIs

78. Use vector (and string::c_str) to exchange data with non-C++ APIs SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Store only values and smart pointers in containers

79. Store only values and smart pointers in containers SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Prefer push_back to other ways of expanding a sequence

80. Prefer push_back to other ways of expanding a sequence...

Prefer range operations to single-element operations

81. Prefer range operations to single-element operations SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Use the accepted idioms to really shrink capacity and really erase elements

82. Use the accepted idioms to really shrink capacity and really erase elements SummaryDiscussionExceptionsReferences The CHM file was converted to HTM by Trial version...

Use a checked STL implementation

83. Use a checked STL implementation SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

Prefer algorithm calls to handwritten loops

84. Prefer algorithm calls to handwritten loops SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

Use the right STL search algorithm

85. Use the right STL search algorithm SummaryDiscussionReferences...

Use the right STL sort algorithm

86. Use the right STL sort algorithm SummaryDiscussionExamplesExceptionsReferences...

Make predicates pure functions

87. Make predicates pure functions SummaryDiscussionExamplesReferences...

read more: Make predicates pure functions

Prefer function objects over functions as algorithm and comparer arguments