Introduction

Because C++ is a markedly different language from C, good C++ code looks markedly different from good C code. Differences from good C style follow from these differences:

• Names -- particularly, qualified names, and expressions and declarations in C++ are often much longer than in C.

• Scoping in C++ is more complex than in C.

• Types in C++ are semantically far more important than in C.

• Local variable definitions in C++ are mixed in with other statements.

• C++ includes constructs that don't exist in C.

• C++ overloads syntactic elements even more heavily than C.

• Semantics of some C++ constructs differ from C.

Rules below are based on some broad principles:

• Direct expression of concepts in code is much better than annotation in comments.

• Comprehensibility for maintainers, and robustness against changes during maintenance, are at least as important as convenience for coders.

• Formatting should be deterministic and straightforward. Time spent thinking about formatting code is time better spent writing it.

• Sources of subtle bugs should be given a wide berth.

• Meaningless-busywork rules get ignored.