Orthodox C++ (sometimes referred as C+) is minimal subset of C++ that improves C, but avoids all unnecessary things from so called Modern C++. It's exactly opposite of what Modern C++ suppose to be.
Back in late 1990 we were also modern-at-the-time C++ hipsters, and we used latest features. We told everyone also they should use those features too. Over time we learned it's unnecesary to use some language features just because they are there, or features we used proved to be bad (like RTTI, exceptions, and streams), or it backfired by unnecessary code complexity. If you think this is nonsense, just wait few more years and you'll hate Modern C++ too ("Why I don't spend time with Modern C++ anymore" archived LinkedIn article).
Code base written with Orthodox C++ limitations will be easer to understand, simpler, and it will build with older compilers. Projects written in Orthodox C++ subset will be more acceptable by other C++ projects because subset used by Orthodox C++ is unlikely to violate adopter's C++ subset preferences.
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
printf("hello, world\n");
return 0;
}
- C-like C++ is good start, if code doesn't require more complexity don't add unnecessary C++ complexities. In general case code should be readable to anyone who is familiar with C language.
- Don't do this, the end of "design rationale" in Orthodox C++ should be immedately after "Quite simple, and it is usable. EOF".
- Don't use exceptions.
Exception handling is the only C++ language feature which requires significant support from a complex runtime system, and it's the only C++ feature that has a runtime cost even if you don't use it – sometimes as additional hidden code at every object construction, destruction, and try block entry/exit, and always by limiting what the compiler's optimizer can do, often quite significantly. Yet C++ exception specifications are not enforced at compile time anyway, so you don't even get to know that you didn't forget to handle some error case! And on a stylistic note, the exception style of error handling doesn't mesh very well with the C style of error return codes, which causes a real schism in programming styles because a great deal of C++ code must invariably call down into underlying C libraries.
- Don't use RTTI.
- Don't use C++ runtime wrapper for C runtime includes (
<cstdio>,<cmath>, etc.), use C runtime instead (<stdio.h>,<math.h>, etc.) - Don't use stream (
<iostream>,<stringstream>, etc.), use printf style functions instead. - Don't use anything from STL that allocates memory, unless you don't care about memory management. See CppCon 2015: Andrei Alexandrescu "std::allocator Is to Allocation what std::vector Is to Vexation" talk, and Why many AAA gamedev studios opt out of the STL thread for more info.
- Don't use metaprogramming excessively for academic masturbation. Use it in moderation, only where necessary, and where it reduces code complexity.
- Wary of any features introduced in current standard C++, ideally wait for improvements of those feature in next iteration of standard. Example
constexprfrom C++11 became usable in C++14 (per Jason Turner cppbestpractices.com curator)
Due to lag of adoption of C++ standard by compilers, OS distributions, etc. it's usually not possible to start using new useful language features immediately. General guideline is: if current year is C++year+5 then it's safe to start selectively using C++year's features. For example, if standard is C++11, and current year >= 2016 then it's probably safe. If standard required to compile your code is C++17 and year is 2016 then obviously you're practicing "Resume Driven Development" methodology. If you're doing this for open source project, then you're not creating something others can use.
UPDATE As of January 14th 2022, Orthodox C++ committee approved use of C++17.
- Embedded C++
- Nominal C++
- Sane C++
- Why Your C++ Should Be Simple
- C++, it’s not you. It’s me.
- "Keep It C-mple" Alexander Radchenko Sydney C++ Meetup
- A dialect of C++
- The Defold engine code style
- Any C source that compiles with C++ compiler.
- DOOM 3 BFG
- Qt (when built with no-rtti, no-exceptions)
- dear imgui
- bgfx
- TheForge
- Oryol
- Network Next SDK
We're discussing the practical realities of the real world here, not delving into idealistic notions of socialism or communism.
The truth is, decisions made within WG21 predominantly cater to the interests of large international corporations. If these corporations have a plethora of issues to contend with, such as exceptions for bad_alloc or an overreliance on object-oriented programming, meaningful change becomes unlikely.
Should WG21 cease to serve the interests of these corporations, it's plausible that the organization would dissolve, or its leader might be strategically removed to safeguard those interests. This aligns with the principles of historical materialism. Much like World War II would have occurred without Hitler, the functioning of the US empire remains consistent regardless of whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden assumes the presidency.
In essence, WG21 has become an arena dominated by these major corporations. For instance, while Google advocates for an ABI break, other corporations may resist. Our opinions and expressions carry minimal weight in this scenario.
You mentioned "historical reasons," and this is precisely one of them. What you and I may criticize about the language is inconsequential.
To begin with, they are unlikely to heed our concerns. They disregarded them 30 years ago, and the situation remains unchanged. Had they been receptive, issues like permitting HP to incorporate exception handling in the manner they did 30 years ago would have been avoided. Similarly, if they were attentive, freestanding would not have lacked ::std::addressof until C++23, as Nvidia desired. Even in C++26, std::array remains absent in the freestanding context. The addition of features like std::filesystem, marred by dual error reporting mechanisms, stands as another testament to their lack of heedfulness.
Bjarne himself is clearly a big fan of bourgeois democracy and believes democracy fixes everything. While in reality, it is just another kind of dictatorship.