* ``auto`` type deduction: N1984_, N1737_
* Trailing return types: N2541_
* Lambdas: N2927_
+
+ * But *not* ``std::function``, until Clang implements `MSVC-compatible RTTI`_.
+
* ``decltype``: N2343_
* Nested closing right angle brackets: N1757_
* Extern templates: N1987_
.. _N3206: http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2010/n3206.htm
.. _N3272: http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2011/n3272.htm
.. _N2429: http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2007/n2429.htm
+.. _MSVC-compatible RTTI: http://llvm.org/PR18951
The supported features in the C++11 standard libraries are less well tracked,
but also much greater. Most of the standard libraries implement most of C++11's
* While most of the atomics library is well implemented, the fences are
missing. Fortunately, they are rarely needed.
* The locale support is incomplete.
+* ``std::initializer_list`` (and the constructors and functions that take it as
+ an argument) are not always available, so you cannot (for example) initialize
+ a ``std::vector`` with a braced initializer list.
Other than these areas you should assume the standard library is available and
working as expected until some build bot tells you otherwise. If you're in an
Unfortunately, not all compilers follow the rules and some will generate
different symbols based on whether ``class`` or ``struct`` was used to declare
-the symbol. This can lead to problems at link time.
+the symbol (e.g., MSVC). This can lead to problems at link time.
+
+* All declarations and definitions of a given ``class`` or ``struct`` must use
+ the same keyword. For example:
+
+.. code-block:: c++
+
+ class Foo;
-So, the rule for LLVM is to always use the ``class`` keyword, unless **all**
-members are public and the type is a C++ `POD
-<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_old_data_structure>`_ type, in which case
-``struct`` is allowed.
+ // Breaks mangling in MSVC.
+ struct Foo { int Data; };
+
+* As a rule of thumb, ``struct`` should be kept to structures where *all*
+ members are declared public.
+
+.. code-block:: c++
+
+ // Foo feels like a class... this is strange.
+ struct Foo {
+ private:
+ int Data;
+ public:
+ Foo() : Data(0) { }
+ int getData() const { return Data; }
+ void setData(int D) { Data = D; }
+ };
+
+ // Bar isn't POD, but it does look like a struct.
+ struct Bar {
+ int Data;
+ Foo() : Data(0) { }
+ };
Do not use Braced Initializer Lists to Call a Constructor
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
for these purposes is when the type would have been abstracted away anyways,
often behind a container's typedef such as ``std::vector<T>::iterator``.
+Beware unnecessary copies with ``auto``
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+The convenience of ``auto`` makes it easy to forget that its default behavior
+is a copy. Particularly in range-based ``for`` loops, careless copies are
+expensive.
+
+As a rule of thumb, use ``auto &`` unless you need to copy the result, and use
+``auto *`` when copying pointers.
+
+.. code-block:: c++
+
+ // Typically there's no reason to copy.
+ for (const auto &Val : Container) { observe(Val); }
+ for (auto &Val : Container) { Val.change(); }
+
+ // Remove the reference if you really want a new copy.
+ for (auto Val : Container) { Val.change(); saveSomewhere(Val); }
+
+ // Copy pointers, but make it clear that they're pointers.
+ for (const auto *Ptr : Container) { observe(*Ptr); }
+ for (auto *Ptr : Container) { Ptr->change(); }
+
Style Issues
============