In book Modern C++ Design, Andrei Alexandrescu opens new vistas for C++ programmers. Displaying extraordinary creativity and virtuosity, Alexandrescu offers in this book a cutting-edge approach to software design that unites design patterns, generic programming, and C++, enabling programmers to achieve expressive, flexible, and highly reusable code. The ebook introduces the concept of generic components, reusable design templates that enable an easier and more seamless transition from design to application code, generate code that better expresses the original design intention, and support the reuse of design structures with minimal recoding. The author then shows in the book how to apply this approach to recurring, real-world issues that C++ programmers face in their day-to-day activity. All code is available on the Web, along with Alexandrescu’s downloadable Loki C++ library, which provides powerful out-of-the-box functionality for virtually any C++ project. You might be holding this book in a bookstore, asking yourself whether you should buy it. Or maybe you are in your employers library, wondering whether you should invest time in reading the book. I know you dont have time, so Ill cut to the chase. If you have ever asked yourself how to write higher-level programs in C++, how to cope with the avalanche of irrelevant details that plague even the cleanest design, or how to build reusable components that you dont have to hack into each time you take them to your next application, then this book is for you.
C++ is the only implementation tool used in this book. You will not find in this ebook code that implements nifty windowing systems, complex networking libraries, or clever logging mechanisms. Instead, in this book you will find the fundamental components that make it easy to implement all of the above, and much more. C++ has the breadth necessary to make this possible. Its underlying C memory model ensures raw performance, its support for polymorphism enables object-oriented techniques, and its templates unleash an incredible code generation machine. Templates pervade all the code in the book because they allow close cooperation between the user and the library. The user of the library literally controls he way code is generated, in ways constrained by the library. The role of a generic component library is to allow user-specified types and behaviors to be combined with generic components in a sound design. Because of the static nature of the technique used in this ebook, errors in mixing and matching the appropriate pieces are usually caught during compile time.
This books manifest intent is to create generic components, preimplemented pieces of design whose main characteristics are flexibility, versatility, and ease of use. Generic components do not form a framework. In fact, their approach is complementary whereas a framework defines interdependent classes to foster a specific object model, generic components are lightweight design artifacts that are independent of each other, yet can be mixed and matched freely. They can be of great help in implementing frameworks.
The intended audience of this ebook falls into two main categories. The first category is that of experienced C++ programmers who want to master the most modern library writing techniques. The book presents new, powerful C++ idioms that have surprising capabilities, some of which werent even thought possible. These idioms are of great help in writing high-level libraries. Intermediate C++ programmers who want to go a step further will certainly find the book useful, too, especially if they invest a bit of perseverance. Although pretty hard-core C++ code is sometimes presented, it is thoroughly explained.
The second category of the book consists of busy programmers who need to get the job done without undergoing a steep learning investment. They can skim the most intricate details of implementation in the ebook and concentrate on using the provided library. Each chapter of the ebook has an introductory explanation and ends with a Quick Facts section. Programmers will find these features a useful reference in understanding and using the components. The components can be understood in isolation, are very powerful yet safe, and are a joy to use.
For better understanding this book you need to have a solid working experience with C++ and, above all, the desire to learn more. A degree of familiarity with templates and the Standard Template Library (STL) is desirable.
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