What C++ pitfalls should I avoid? [closed]

Answer 1

• Blizpasta. That's a huge one I see a lot...

• Uninitialized variables are a huge mistake that students of mine make. A lot of Java folks forget that just saying "int counter" doesn't set counter to 0. Since you have to define variables in the h file (and initialize them in the constructor/setup of an object), it's easy to forget.

• Off-by-one errors on for loops / array access.

• Not properly cleaning object code when voodoo starts.

Answer 2

I spent many years doing C++ development. I wrote a quick summary of problems I had with it years ago. Standards-compliant compilers are not really a problem anymore, but I suspect the other pitfalls outlined are still valid.

Answer 3

1. Not reading the C++ FAQ Lite. It explains many bad (and good!) practices.
2. Not using Boost. You'll save yourself a lot of frustration by taking advantage of Boost where possible.

Answer 4

Forgetting to define a base class destructor virtual. This means that calling delete on a Base* won't end up destructing the derived part.

Answer 5

The web page C++ Pitfalls by Scott Wheeler covers some of the main C++ pitfalls.

Answer 6

Avoid pseudo classes and quasi classes... Overdesign basically.