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RNP

Usage of C++ within RNP

This is a provisional document reflecting the recent conversion from C to C++. It should be revisited as experience with using C++ within RNP codebase increases.

Encouraged Features

These are features which seem broadly useful, their downsides are minimal and well understood.

  • STL types std::vector, std::string, std::unique_ptr, std::map

  • RAII techniques (destructors, smart pointers) to minimize use of goto to handle cleanup.

  • Value types, that is to say types which simply encapsulate some data.

  • std::function or virtual functions to replace function pointers.

  • Prefer virtual functions only on "interface" classes (with no data), and derive only one level of classes from this interface class.

  • Anonymous namespaces are an alternative to static functions.

Questionable Features

These are features that may be useful in certain situations, but should be used carefully.

  • Exceptions. While convenient, they do have a non-zero cost in runtime and binary size.

Forbidden Features

These are C++ features that simply should be avoided, at least until a very clear use case for them has been identified and no other approach suffices.

  • RTTI. This has a significant runtime cost and usually there are better alternatives.

  • Multiple inheritance. This leads to many confusing and problematic scenarios.

  • Template metaprogramming. If you have a problem, and you think template metaprogramming will solve it, now you have two problems, and one of them is incomprehensible.