C++ Memory Model: from C++11 to C++23

by Alex Dathskovsky

In the realm of C++ development, threading and memory management play a crucial role in crafting highly parallel and optimized programs. However, the absence of a memory model in C++98 posed challenges. Thankfully, with the advent of C++11, significant changes were introduced, including the introduction of a memory model, which brought forth a plethora of new and exciting tools for developers to leverage. This talk aims to delve into the realm of the C++ memory model, showcasing the arsenal of tools at our disposal. Attendees will gain insights into how CPUs and compilers optimize code and understand the criticality of adhering to the memory model correctly. Practical guidelines on utilizing these tools effectively will also be explored.

Throughout the talk, we will illustrate practical examples and share best practices for utilizing the diverse set of tools now available to us. From atomic operations to memory barriers, we will explore the range of techniques that allow us to develop robust and thread-safe code.

This talk will also illustrate the newer tools from newer C++ standards like JThread and so this talk will show how memory model is used and how it advanced since C++11.

Lightning Talk: Help! My Expression Template Type Names Are Too Long!

by Braden Ganetsky 

Even the name of this talk is too long! If we're ever working with expression templates, we can easily make type names long enough to slow down compilation time. Suddenly our "zero-overhead" expression templates start giving a large compile time overhead. I'll show off a C++20 trick to fix this problem.

Lightning Talk: Filling the Bucket: Reading Code, C++ Code Interviews & Exams

by Amir Kirsh 

We are going to review and practice a reading code challenge. Reading code skills are quite important, maybe even more than writing code. So let's dive together into filling the bucket code reading challenge!

Back to Basics: The Rule of Five in C++

by Andre Kostur

Designing a class to behave correctly when copied and moved takes a lot of thought. The Core Guidelines provide guidance to streamline that work. In this talk we are going to look at the Core Guideline known as "the Rule of Five", how it came about, and is there anything better.

C++ Safety with Herb Sutter

by Jordi Mon Companys in Software Engineering Daily

It's really, really important as native languages C and C++, not to have our heads in the sand and say, "Oh, well, we've been hearing this for years. All is well." No, it's not. We have work to do. But it's also important not to go to the other extreme, and think that, "Oh, if we just magically wave a wand and make all the world's software, suddenly convert overnight to memory-safe languages", which would be great if it can be done. It's not technically feasible. ut even if we could do that, we're not going to make most of the attacks go away.

Exceptionally Bad: The Misuse of Exceptions in C++ & How to Do Better

by Peter Muldoon

Exceptions were originally heralded as a new modern way to handle errors. However the C++ community is split as to whether exceptions are useful or should be banned outright. It has not helped the pro-exception lobby that in their enthusiasm to embrace exceptions, a lot of code has been written that puts exceptions in a bad light.

In this talk, We will present the original intent/history of exceptions and a brief overview of how exception mechanics work and how they circumvent the usual stack return mechanism to set the stage. we will then examine the philosophy of using exceptions and then the many cases of exception misuse including resource management, retries, hierarchies, data passing and control flow to name but a few.

For each case, we will then suggest better ways to handle each specific situation. In many cases, exceptions are often dropped in favor of some other more appropriate paradigm.
Finally, we will introduce situations that can truly benefit from exceptions and what a model exception class might look like.

Lightning Talk: You Should Use AddressSanitizer

by Brody Holden 

This talk aims to get you, yes you, to use Address Sanitizer. ASan will detect various memory errors and is worth your time.

Delivering Safe C++

by Bjarne Stroustrup

Type safety was one of the key initial C++ design ideals. We have evolved C++ to the point where we can write C++ with no violations of the type system, no resource leaks, no memory corruption, no garbage collector, no limitation of expressiveness or performance degradation compared to well-written modern C++.

We face three major challenges: To define what “safe” means in the context of various C++ uses, to guarantee such safety where guarantees are needed, and to get developers to write such verified safe code.

I outline an approach based on safety profiles to address these challenges, describe an approach to eliminate dangling pointers, and suggest how to eliminate all dangling pointers and all range errors. My aim for key applications is verified type-and-resource-safe C++. An emphasis is on minimizing costly run-time checks through the use of abstractions. I see the current emphasis on safety as an opportunity to complete one aspect of C++’s fundamental aims in real-world code.

Plenary: Cooperative C++ Evolution - Toward a Typescript for C++

by Herb Sutter

C++23 is done. But C++ is not! In this talk I’ll give my personal perspectives on:

• C++’s ongoing and very active evolution;
• The latest progress updates on my cppfront experimental compiler, and what I’ve learned about modern ISO C++20 and C++23 in the experiment (https://github.com/hsutter/cppfront);
• Why compatibility (and what kind, and how much) is essential; and
• Why we should aim to keep bringing C++ forward successfully by cooperating and being part of C++’s ongoing true evolution via WG 21, even though that’s more work than pursuing a new fresh-but-competing evolutionary path.

Lightning Talk: ClangFormat Is Not It

by Anastasia Kazakova

Sometimes things are not what we think of them. But we keep using them based on our perception. ClangFormat is a widely used tool by the C++ community. Join me to explore the typical delusions around it.