A new WG21 paper is available. A copy is linked below, and the paper will also appear in the next normal WG21 mailing. If you are not a committee member, please use the comments section below or the std-proposals forum for public discussion.

Document number: N3718

Date: 2013-08-30

Transactional Memory Support for C++

by Victor Luchangco, Jens Maurer, Mark Moir, et al.

Excerpt:

Transactional memory supports a programming style that is intended to facilitate parallel execution with a comparatively gentle learning curve. This document describes a proposal developed by SG5 to introduce transactional constructs into C++ as a Technical Specification. It is based in part on the Draft Specification for Transactional Constructs in C++ (Version 1.1) published by the Transactional Memory Specification Drafting Group in February 2012. This proposal represents a pragmatic basic set of features, and omits or simplifies a number of controversial or complicated features from the Draft Specification. Our goal has been to focus the SG5’s efforts towards a basic set of features that is useful and can support progress towards possible inclusion in the C++ standard. Reflecting this goal, for the first time, we present precise wording changes relative to the Working Draft of the C++ Standard (N3690) to implement this proposal. This document consists of an informal overview of the proposal, several illustrative examples, a summary of some of the discussion in SG5 and the earlier drafting group about design choices, and the above-mentioned wording changes.