Preface

Yes, you've guessed correctly - the answer is "42". In this article you will find 42 recommendations about coding in C++ that can help a programmer avoid a lot of errors, save time and effort. The author is Andrey Karpov - technical director of "Program Verification Systems", a team of developers, working on PVS-Studio static code analyzer. Having checked a large number of open source projects, we have seen a large variety of ways to shoot yourself in the foot; there is definitely much to share with the readers. Every recommendation is given with a practical example, which proves the currentness of this question. These tips are intended for C/C++ programmers, but usually they are universal, and may be of interest for developers using other languages.

About the author. My name is Andrey Karpov. The scope of my interests ? the C/C++ language and the promotion of code analysis methodology. I have been Microsoft MVP in Visual C++ for 5 years. The main aim of my articles and work in general - is to make the code of programs safer and more secure. I'll be really glad if these recommendations help you write better code, and avoid typical errors. Those who write code standards for companies may also find some helpful information here.

A little bit of history. Not so long ago I created a resource, where I shared useful tips and tricks about programming in C++. But this resource didn't get the expected number of subscribers, so I don't see the point in giving a link to it here. It will be on the web for some time, but eventually, it will be deleted. Still, these tips are worth keeping. That's why I've updated them, added several more and combined them in a single text. Enjoy reading!