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Tag: C++ Evolution, C++ Standards, C++ Features, C++11, C++14, C++17, C++20, C++23

  • C++ Standard Evolution: Features Added in C++98, C++11, C++14, C++17, C++20, C++23

    C++ Standard Evolution: Features Added in C++98, C++11, C++14, C++17, C++20, C++23

    changes made to the C++ standard over the years, covering C++98, C++11, C++14, C++17, C++20, and C++23. Afterward, I’ll provide a Python script that will write this information into a CSV format that can be imported into WordPress.

    Changes in C++ Standards:

    1. C++98

    • Released: 1998
    • Key Features:
      • Standard Template Library (STL) introduced.
      • Support for templates, namespaces, and exceptions.
      • The introduction of input/output streams (iostream).
      • Type-safe memory management using new and delete.

    2. C++11

    • Released: 2011
    • Key Features:
      • Auto keyword: Automatically deduces the variable type.
      • Range-based for loops: Simplified iteration over containers.
      • Lambda expressions: Inline, anonymous functions for cleaner code.
      • Move semantics: Optimizes the transfer of resources.
      • Smart pointers: std::shared_ptr and std::unique_ptr for safer memory management.
      • Threading support: Introduction of the <thread> library for multithreading.
      • nullptr: A new keyword to represent null pointers.
      • Static assertions: Compile-time assertions using static_assert.

    3. C++14

    • Released: 2014
    • Key Features:
      • Generic lambdas: Allows lambdas to be templated.
      • Binary literals: You can now use binary numbers (e.g., 0b1010).
      • Return type deduction: Allows functions to infer their return types.
      • Relaxed constexpr: More flexibility in the constexpr functions.
      • std::make_unique: Factory function for std::unique_ptr.

    4. C++17

    • Released: 2017
    • Key Features:
      • std::optional: Wraps values that may or may not be present.
      • std::variant: Type-safe union, allowing multiple types for a single variable.
      • std::any: Allows storage of any type of object.
      • Filesystem support: The <filesystem> library for working with the file system.
      • Structured bindings: Unpack tuples and pairs directly.
      • if constexpr: Compile-time conditional branches.
      • Parallel algorithms: Added parallel execution policies for standard algorithms.

    5. C++20

    • Released: 2020
    • Key Features:
      • Concepts: Constraints for template parameters.
      • Ranges: More powerful range-based operations for iterators.
      • Coroutines: Simplified asynchronous programming.
      • Modules: New way to organize and import code, replacing header files.
      • Calendar and time zones: Comprehensive date and time handling.
      • Three-way comparison operator (<=>): Spaceship operator for easier comparison.

    6. C++23

    • Released: 2023 (anticipated)
    • Key Features:
      • Reflection: Ability to introspect types at compile-time (partially added).
      • Pattern matching: Simplifies handling of different types.
      • Improved algorithms: More functions for manipulating containers.
      • constexpr improvements: More functions allowed in compile-time evaluation.
      • Network library: Introduction of networking capabilities for easier web communications (ongoing work).