Table Of ContentC++ High Performance
Second Edition
Master the art of optimizing the functioning of your
C++ code
Björn Andrist
Viktor Sehr
BIRMINGHAM - MUMBAI
C++ High Performance
Second Edition
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First published: January 2018
Second Edition: December 2020
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Foreword
Two years ago, the first edition of C++ High Performance was published,
and I had the privilege of writing its foreword. Then, C++17 was state of
the art and C++20 was in the early stages of development. Now, C++20 is
widely available for development and specification work on C++23 is
underway.
C++ stepped onto the stage in 1983, and hasn't stopped reinventing itself for
a single year since. It has gone from a single frontend language on top of C
to a first-class citizen of the compiler world. The continued wide use, as it
nears its 40th anniversary, is a testament to both its incredible depth and
diverse features. Each new C++ standard has added substantial functionality
—sometimes to excess. In the words of Stroustrup, "Within C++, there is a
much smaller and cleaner language struggling to get out."
The problem, of course, is that the "smaller and cleaner language" to be
found within C++ changes with each and every situation. Mastering C++ is
akin to mastering a multitude of domain-specific languages, each tailored to
a specific use. The dialect that makes sense for an embedded system is
nonsensical for large enterprise applications, and the phrasing that powers a
game engine is unbearable when applied to a word processor.
C++ High Performance teaches you a C++ dialect for rapidly developing
high-performance code. From C++11 onward, there has been a vast array of
new features in both the C++ language and the C++ STL. When applied
with care, they let you spend more time writing your application and less
time handling implementation details. This is the focus of the book and
where it shines.
One of the biggest topics that separates professionals from journeymen in
C++ is understanding, from top to bottom, what is really happening in their
code. Ultimately, a programmer is responsible for driving hardware in
service of their goals, and the concepts in this book will help you develop
an intuitive understanding of what your code is doing under the hood. Each
topic is framed in the larger context of application development and
computer science. For the reader who needs to get up to speed with the
latest C++ techniques on short notice, this information provides the
necessary landmarks for you to stay oriented. Specific examples, recipes,
and logical progressions take you from a basic use of auto and <algorithm>
all the way up to using asynchronous coroutines and parallel algorithms.
Fundamental issues around modern C++, such as memory management and
ownership, considerations of time and space, advanced template usage and
others, are explained step by step; by the later chapters, the reader can
proceed into advanced territory with confidence. Since the first edition,
every topic has been revisited and expanded to be up to date with the latest
standards.
I have worked on a wide variety of projects—large and small, low level and
managed, and some even in custom languages I designed and built—but
C++ holds a special place in my heart. My first full-time job was writing
C++ code for a game technology company in the early 2000s. I loved it, not
least of all because a big part of the technology revolved around the
reflection of the C++ code base into the editor and scripting language.
Someone once described C++ as an octopus made by nailing extra legs onto
a dog, and I spent a lot of time with a hammer making our code base do
things that C++ was never intended to do. Yet the octopus we ended up with
was, in its own way, beautiful and very effective.
C++ has evolved tremendously since those days, and it is my privilege to
open the door for you as you walk into an exciting new world of
possibilities. Viktor and Björn are brilliant and experienced developers with
a remarkable pedigree, and they have a lot of great things in store for you.
Ben Garney
CEO, The Engine Company
Contributors
About the authors
Björn Andrist is a freelance software consultant currently focusing on
audio applications. For more than 15 years, he has been working
professionally with C++ in projects ranging from UNIX server applications
to real-time audio applications on desktop and mobile. In the past, he has
also taught courses on algorithms and data structures, concurrent
programming, and programming methodologies. Björn holds a BS in
computer engineering and an MS in computer science from KTH
Royal Institute of Technology.
I'm overwhelmed by the positive responses the first edition of this book has
generated. The feedback has been a true source of inspiration and the
major reason for me taking the time to write a second edition. Thank you to
all readers and reviewers!Without the team at Packt Publishing you
wouldn't have this book in your hands. Writing a book for the Expert Insight
series has been a true pleasure. Special thanks goes to Joanne Lovell,
Gaurav Gavas, and Tushar Gupta. The technical reviewers of this book
have been extraordinary. Timur Doumler, the main technical reviewer, has
been nothing but outstanding throughout the project. Thank you so much!
Thank you Lewis Baker, Arthur O'Dwyer, and Marius Bancila also.Last,
and most of all, I must thank my family for their support and their patience,
again. Thank you Aleida, Agnes, and Clarence.
Viktor Sehr is the founder and main developer of the small game studio
Toppluva AB. At Toppluva, he develops a custom graphics engine that
powers the open-world skiing game Grand Mountain Adventure. He has 13
years of professional experience using C++, with real-time graphics, audio,
and architectural design as his focus areas. Across his career, he has
developed medical visualization software at Mentice and Raysearch
Laboratories, as well as real-time audio applications at Propellerhead
Software. Viktor holds an MS in media science from Linköping University.
