Beautiful C++: 30 Core Guidelines for Writing Clean, Safe, and Fast Code

Discover the Beauty of Modern C++

" Beautiful C++ presents the C++ Core Guidelines from a developer's point of view with an emphasis on what benefits can be obtained from following the rules and what nightmares can result from ignoring them. For true geeks, it is an easy and entertaining read. For most software developers, it offers something new and useful."
--Bjarne Stroustrup, inventor of C++ and co-editor of the C++ Core Guidelines

Writing great C++ code needn't be difficult. The C++ Core Guidelines can help every C++ developer design and write C++ programs that are exceptionally reliable, efficient, and well-performing. But the Guidelines are so jam-packed with excellent advice that it's hard to know where to start. Start here, with Beautiful C++.

Expert C++ programmers Guy Davidson and Kate Gregory identify 30 Core Guidelines you'll find especially valuable and offer detailed practical knowledge for improving your C++ style. For easy reference, this book is structured to align closely with the official C++ Core Guidelines website.

Throughout, Davidson and Gregory offer useful conceptual insights and expert sample code, illuminate proven ways to use both new and longstanding language features more successfully, and show how to write programs that are more robust and performant by default.

• Avoid "bikeshedding": stop wasting valuable time on trivia
• Don't hurt yourself by writing code that will cause problems later
• Know which legacy features to avoid and the modern features to use instead
• Use newer features properly, to get their benefits without creating new problems
• Default to higher-quality code that's statically type-safe, leak resistant, and easier to evolve
• Use the Core Guidelines with any modern C++ version: C++20, C++17, C++14, or C++11

There's something here to improve virtually every program you write, design, or maintain.

For ease of experimentation, all sample code is available on Compiler Explorer at https://godbolt.org/z/cg30-ch0.0.

Register your book for convenient access to downloads, updates, and/or corrections as they become available. See inside book for details.

J. Guy Davidson, head of engineering practice at Creative Assembly, works on its Total War game franchise, curates its catalogue, and improves programming standards across its engineering team. He serves on the ISO C++ committee, moderates the #include <C++> discord server, speaks at C++ events, and offers C++ mentoring support through Prospela and BAME in Games.

Kate Gregory has 40+ years of development experience in multiple languages. She has keynoted on five continents, and volunteers in many C++ activities, especially #include <C++>, which is making the industry more welcoming and inclusive. Since 1986 she and her husband have run Gregory Consulting, helping clients worldwide become more effective.