Effective C++ by Scott Meyers (Short Summary)
  • Introduction
  • Chapter 1 - Accustoming Yourself to C++
    • Item 1 - View C++ as a federation of languages.
    • Item 2 - Prefer consts, enums, and inlines to #defines.
    • Item 3 - Use const whenever possible.
    • Item 4 - Make sure that objects are initialized before they’re used.
  • Chapter 2 - Constructors, Destructors, and Assignment Operators
    • Item 5 - Know what functions C++ silently writes a calls.
    • Item 6 - Explicitly disallow the use of compiler-generated functions you do not want.
    • Item 7 - Declare destructors virtual in polymorphic base classes.
    • Item 8 - Prevent exceptions from leaving destructors.
    • Item 9 - Never call virtual functions during construction or destruction.
    • Item 10 - Have assignment operators return a reference to *this.
    • Item 11 - Handle assignment to self in operator=.
    • Item 12 - Copy all parts of an object.
  • Chapter 3 - Resource Management
    • Item 13 - Use objects to manage resources.
    • Item 14 - Think carefully about copying behavior in resource-managing classes.
    • Item 15 - Provide access to raw resources in resource-managing classes.
    • Item 16 - Use the same form in corresponding uses of new and delete.
    • Item 17 - Store newed objects in smart pointers in standalone statements.
  • Chapter 4 - Designs and Declarations
    • Item 18 - Make interfaces easy to use correctly and hard to use incorrectly.
    • Item 19 - Treat class design as type design.
    • Item 20 - Prefer pass-by-reference-to-const to pass-by-value.
    • Item 21 - Don't try to return a reference when you must return an object.
    • Item 22 - Declare data members private.
    • Item 23 - Prefer non-member non-friend functions to member functions.
    • Item 24 - Declare non-member functions when type conversions should apply to all parameters.
    • Item 25 - Consider support for a non-throwing swap.
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Chapter 3 - Resource Management

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Last updated 3 years ago

A resource is something that, once you’re done using it, you need to return to the system. If you don’t, bad things happen. In C++ programs, the most commonly used resource is dynamically allocated memory (if you allocate memory and never deallocate it, you’ve got a memory leak), but memory is only one of many resources you must manage. Other common resources include file descriptors, mutex locks, fonts and brushes in graphical user interfaces (GUIs), database connections, and network sockets. Regardless of the resource, it’s important that it be released when you’re finished with it.

Use objects to manage resources.

Think carefully about copying behavior in resource-managing classes.

Provide access to raw resources in resource-managing classes.

Use the same form in corresponding uses of new and delete.

Store newed objects in smart pointers in standalone statements.

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