Part 6

Correctness

How C++ programs go wrong, and the systematic ways to stop them.

• 6.1

  Exceptions

  Reporting failure across call boundaries, and what unwinding costs.

  6 min
• 6.2

  Error handling without exceptions

  Return-based error handling, and when it fits better.

  6 min
• 6.3

  Undefined behaviour

  The contract you did not know you signed, and how the optimizer uses it.

  8 min
• 6.4

  Testing

  Writing tests that catch regressions rather than restating the code.

  6 min
• 6.5

  Debugging

  Finding the defect rather than guessing at it.

  7 min
• 6.6

  Invariants and assertions

  Stating what must always be true, and checking it.

  6 min