programming Archives

The majority of code executed on a Windows PC is developed in C++, so it’s expected to encounter more issues in C++ code.

Recently, numerous articles have highlighted issues in C++ code, and even the White House has discouraged the use of C++ in favor of promoting Rust. However, does this perspective consider the extensive use of C++ compared to other programming languages? In this post, we will explore the fact that the majority of code executed on a Windows PC is developed in C++. What if most of this code were developed in Rust, C#, or Java? Would we still have the same incredible user experience we enjoy today? Let’s delve into this question and examine the potential implications.

The usage patterns of Windows users vary widely, but several key activities dominate their screen time. We can enumerate:

OpenCV: The art of using the KISS and YAGNI principles.

As programmers, we’re often tempted to leverage design patterns, language idioms, advanced language features, and well-known libraries, which is certainly advisable. However, it’s essential to put on the KISS/YAGNI glasses before diving into these techniques 🙂

C++ always comes to the rescue for challenging problems: the llamafile case study is a prime example.

C++ has been instrumental in resolving numerous challenging problems across various domains due to its efficiency, performance, and versatility. Some of the challenging problems resolved by C++ include:

System Software Development: C++ has been extensively used in developing system software such as operating systems (e.g., Windows, Linux), device drivers, and embedded systems due to its low-level capabilities and ability to interact closely with hardware.
Game Development: C++ is widely employed in the game development industry to create high-performance and resource-efficient games. Its ability to manage memory and provide low-level access to hardware makes it suitable for developing game engines and graphics-intensive applications.
High-Performance Computing: C++ is a preferred choice for developing high-performance computing applications, including simulations, scientific computing, and numerical analysis. Its ability to optimize code for speed and efficiency allows for faster execution of complex algorithms.
Financial Systems: C++ is commonly used in developing financial systems and trading platforms due to its speed and reliability. It is crucial in building algorithmic trading systems, risk management software, and market analysis tools.
Networking and Telecommunications: C++ is utilized in networking and telecommunications for building efficient network protocols, routers, and communication software. Its ability to handle low-level network operations and optimize network performance makes it invaluable in this domain.

Interview of NDepend Team Lead Patrick Smacchia at WebsitePlanet

Here’s an interview of NDepend Team Lead Patrick Smacchia at WebSitePlanet, enjoy 🙂

Testing if the newcomer Llama3 is beneficial for c++ developers

AI has become prevalent in various domains, including software development. Many developers leverage generative AI to aid them in coding. Let’s explore the newcomer Llama3 and assess its suitability for C++ developers.

Related to Meta here’s a brief description of Llama3:

Our new 8B and 70B parameter Llama 3 models are a major leap over Llama 2 and establish a new state-of-the-art for LLM models at those scales. Thanks to improvements in pretraining and post-training, our pretrained and instruction-fine-tuned models are the best models existing today at the 8B and 70B parameter scale. Improvements in our post-training procedures substantially reduced false refusal rates, improved alignment, and increased diversity in model responses. We also saw greatly improved capabilities like reasoning, code generation, and instruction following making Llama 3 more steerable.

Certain developers may lack interest in AI generative tools due to their perception that the results are not yet mature. This sentiment is particularly pronounced among expert developers who swiftly identify areas for improvement in generated code. Nonetheless, I believe that for the majority of developers, generated code could serve as a valuable starting point for implementation, refactoring, or explanation purposes.

Even the White House wants you to abandon C and C++, It’s time to focus on C++ safety and join the Bjarne initiative.

The C and C++ languages are no longer favored by the highest American authorities. Indeed, the White House wishes for developers to use memory-safe languages. In this report published on Monday, the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) of the White House invites developers to reduce the risk of cyberattacks by using languages without memory vulnerabilities. IT companies “can prevent the introduction of multiple vulnerabilities into the digital ecosystem by adopting secure languages,” the presidency said in a statement. It refers to those that are protected against buffer overflow, out-of-bounds reads, and memory leaks.

Are you curious to know where the move feature is used in your C++ projects, on your behalf?

Move semantics is a feature introduced in C++11 that allows more efficient transfer of resources (such as dynamic memory) from one object to another. It addresses the inefficiencies associated with deep copying objects, especially large ones, by allowing objects to “steal” the resources of other objects when possible, rather than duplicating them.

Before C++11, when you assigned one object to another, a copy constructor or assignment operator would be invoked, resulting in a deep copy of the object’s data. This process could be expensive, particularly for large objects or those containing dynamic memory allocations. This feature is particularly useful in scenarios where performance optimization is critical, such as in high-performance computing, game development, and resource-constrained environments.

Move semantics introduces the notion of “rvalue references” and a new concept called “move constructors” and “move assignment operators”.

Here’s how it works:

C++ is now a feature-rich language, Be aware of OverEngineering

Being aware of overengineering is crucial when working with a feature-rich language like C++. Overengineering occurs when developers introduce overly complex or unnecessary solutions to a problem.

C++ developers could be attempted to use as possible the new features introduced by the new standards. which makes the code finally more complicated than it must be.

Here’s an example to show how C++ metaprogramming can be used to create a type-erased container with arithmetic operations that are evaluated at compile time. While this example show the power and flexibility of C++ metaprogramming techniques. it might seem complicated due to the use of templates, concepts and constexpr functions:

Proposal for the next C++ standards

Modern C++ refers to the evolution of the C++ programming language beyond its original design principles, incorporating newer features, idioms, and best practices that have emerged since the language’s inception.

C++ is standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). C++ standards are typically released every few years, bringing new features and improvements to the language.

Average experience of active C++ development Poll

C++ has a steep learning curve compared to some other programming languages. Its syntax and concepts can be complex, especially for beginners or those transitioning from higher-level languages. C++ may not be as beginner-friendly as some other languages, it offers unparalleled power, flexibility, and opportunities for those willing to invest in learning and mastering its intricacies.

The level of experience, particularly with active development spanning more than five years, often correlates with a deeper understanding of C++ and its capabilities. Developers who have been actively working with C++ for an extended period tend to have a comprehensive knowledge of the language’s features, nuances, and ecosystem, enabling them to leverage its power effectively in various applications.

Tag: programming